The Broncos proved they will be okay without their best player after all.

No, the green and gold didn't win in Nipawin Tuesday night, their comeback in the third period fell short as they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Hawks but they probably deserved to.

There has been times this season the Broncos were out of the hockey game minutes in even with Greg Moro but a make shift line up kept it close with the Hawks, the fourth ranked team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

"It was a very good effort tonight," Assistant Coach Brayden Klimosko said on the post game show of KMK Sales Broncos' hockey. "A lot of guys stepped up today and it was really nice to see, you never know after yesterday and all the things that went down you aren't sure what you're going to get tonight. It was awesome to see, it really was."

Something that has plagued the Broncos is getting a lead, and again in this game they were forced to fight back early. Nipawin got goals from Taylor Lotoski and Chase Thudium in the opening frame giving Nipawin a 2-0 edge that Humboldt would slice in half before the end of the period.

Josh Bergen got a seeing eye shot past Kristian Stead with just 17 seconds to play. That was Bergen's first goal of the season from Logan Schatz.

The Broncos would draw even at 11:47 of the middle period, Schatz made a perfect pass to Jarrett Fontaine on a short-handed odd man rush that the 20 year-old Humboldt product buried for his eighth of the year tying it at 2-2.

Nipawin would take the lead back a minute later during the same penalty, Ian Wolcowicz beat Billy Gorn making it 3-2.

The eventual game winner was off the stick of Thudium with under a minute to go in the second period.

Despite the two goal deficit the undermanned visitors didn't give up, Trevor Posch jammed rebound past Stead 5:05 into the final 20 minutes. Schatz collected his third point of the night on Posch's fourth goal, Wesley Shipton chipped in with the second assist.

After that the Broncos couldn't beat Stead who finished with 24 saves including 10 in the third. The Broncos had a 1:31 five-on-three in the third as well that they didn't capitalize on, that was the difference in the outcome.

"You have to even create something and we didn't really do that," Klimosko said of the blown opportunity. "That's the way it is, it's a tough game sometimes and we have to get better in those situations for sure. That's the difference in the hockey game for sure."

Gorn would stop 25/29 Nipawin chances, Humboldt finished 0/5 on the power play, Nipawin was 1/2.

Humboldt will host the Kindersley Klippers on Wednesday night for Kidsport night, volunteers will be on hand selling raffle tickets as well as presenting a local volunteer with an award before the game. It's all part of the Goals for Kidsport partnership through the SJHL and SaskEnergy.

Face-off is 7:30.

You can hear Klimosko's complete post game comments below.

This was the only game on Tuesday night in the SJHL.