The Battlefords North Stars established themselves as a league juggernaut in the early going of the SJHL season. It wasn’t until the Melfort Mustangs handed the Stars a loss in a shoot out that a team proved the Stars and its goalie, Josh Kotai, were assailable. The Humboldt Broncos found the answer on the back end of a weekend home and home with the North Stars.

As has become their trademark, the Broncos tried jumping out to an early lead in the Friday away game, but those efforts didn’t see dividends until Cage Newans struck, assisted by Danton Cox and Jacob Boucher, late in the first. The North Stars’ Kian Bell evened it up midway through the second, but the Broncos’ deft puck-handler, Timothy Kim, evened it up sending the Broncos into the third with a 2-1 lead. Unfortunately, that would do in the Broncos scoring for the night as the North Stars scored four unanswered goals to take a 5-2 win.

On Saturday, a carbon copy scenario from the previous night faced the Broncos heading into the third. Alec Saretsky lit up the crowd in the EPA inside the 2 minute mark with a goal from Timothy Kim and Daylan Weigel. The Battlefords’ Evan Waldie evened it up inside a minute of the second period opening puck drop, but Cage Newans notched a power play goal to give the Broncos a one-goal lead into the third.

The ghost of the previous night reared its head when Riley Girod scored a power play goal for the North Stars. However, on Saturday night, the Broncos’ defense went into lockdown mode, coupled with a free-wheeling attack that produced some of the best hockey of the season. Both Tristan Boileau and Josh Kotai put on stellar performances in net to conclude regular time in a 2-all tie.

Broncos supporters settled in for a round of 3 on 3 OT, but they barely got settled in their seats when Boileau cleared the puck to Carsten Kayter, and a picture perfect feed to Lucas Ceccarelli later, the EPA erupted in celebration. 

Their 3-2 OT victory sets the Broncos up for a three game road swing to the south east and games against the Weyburn Red Wings and Estevan Bruins. Next play call on 107.5 Bolt FM is Thursday from Estevan with a 7:00 pm start time.