For the first time since 2011, the Midget AA Broncos are provincial champions after they defeated the Notre Dame Bantam AAA Hounds 4-3 Saturday.

The Broncos entered play with a two goal cushion in the total goal format following a 2-0 win in Game 1.

Dayden Dvernichuk opened the scoring for the home side, depositing a slick backhand feed from Tyler Behiel for the 1-0 lead. That would be the lone goal scored in the first period, despite numerous opportunities on both sides.

Humboldt pushed it's lead to two goals in the game, and four goals in the series when Reagan Poncelet scored two minutes into the middle frame. Colton Halvorson appeared to fool Hounds goaltender Aaron Mercer into thinking he was going around the net, when in fact Halvorson tossed the puck out front where Poncelet slid it home.

The four goal edge for the Broncos was shortly lived, as Brad Morrissey finally broke through for Notre Dame's first goal of the series one minute later.

With the Broncos on their heels for most of the next ten minutes, Luke Puto took the puck on a turnover and beat Mercer on a mini breakaway to make it 3-1.

Nolan Renwick and Matthew Culling would make things tight for the Broncos in the final 15 minutes after they scored 70 seconds apart in the first five minutes of the third period to bring the game to even.

That's when Humboldt goalie Jacob Wassermann turned it on, keeping his net clean for the duration of the game, eventually paving the way for Halvorson to put the ice on the series with an empty net goal in the final seconds.

Following the game, Broncos Head Coach Chris Hamilton said the team got away from what they do early in the third, noting his message to the team at that point.

"Get back to the gameplan, we kind of got away from it there," he said. "Once we started to do that, we regained what we were doing there, and it turned out really well."

Hamilton added that the win is attributed to the team's work ethic each game.

"Its unbelievable. This is to the guys with how hard they work, and that they bought into the system. We played that system tonight and came out on the right side."

Captain of the team, Morgan Gobeil, provided his thoughts on the mood entering Game 2, knowing they had a two goal cushion.

"We knew that we can't play like we have a lead, we came in like it was a 0-0 game, and we had to win the game, and I think that's what gave us the edge today."

Gobeil was a member of the team last year when the Centre Four Hockey League crown was achieved, but they fell short of the provincial title.

Entering this season, he said there was only one idea they had in mind, and that was having two banners.

"That was the goal right from the start, I'm just happy our team achieved that," he said, continuing on about perhaps a future addition. "I think a third one next year would feel even better."

With a spot opened due to injury, the Broncos called up Cael Zimmerman following the conclusion of the Bantam AA season.

Zimmerman quickly made an impact, scoring a pair of goals in Game 1 of the league final, before continuing to play key minutes for the team in the provincial playoffs.

"It feels great. It was a lot of fun. I only played a couple games, but it was great fun to be part of the team," he mentioned, also commenting on adjusting to the next age group. "The speed of the game was up compared to Bantam, and I just had to keep my head up."

After scoring three goals in the regular season, it was Tanner Gerwing who got the party started for the Broncos in Game 1 of the series, scoring 1:10 in, to break the ice.

His in your face style of play can be wearing on opposing players, and it is something he says is always enjoyable to do.

"I always like to go hard and use the body. When you're playing guys who aren't very respectful, its good to put them in their place."

Like Gerwing, Reagan Poncelet was a member of last year's CFHL championship team, and he talked about how every player on the team worked together to achieve two titles this season.

"We have a great group of guys and they never quit. Even when you're down by three, four goals, it doesn't matter. You can always come back. We have a strong heart, one goal, one focus, its not about one person, its about the team as a whole."

Wassermann echoed the team atmosphere, saying that as a goaltender, stopping pucks gets easier when everyone is on the same page.

"I know my team has my back the whole time. They're going to continue to block shots and score goals. Knowing that just keeps me going."

Having allowed just two goals in three games prior, Wassermann explained how he battled back for the final 15 minutes after the Hounds tied the game.

"I got a good tip from my coach before playoffs started. He said 'you let one in, stop the next 10 or 15', so my focus is that goal is done, and focus on the next thing coming."

It is the fourth time the Midget AA program has captured a provincial title, winning back-to-back in 2010 and 2011, as well as a win in 2005 when the team was unbeaten.


Listen to the full on-ice post-game show as heard on Bolt FM below. Order of appearance: Chris Hamilton, Morgan Gobeil, Cael Zimmerman, Tanner Gerwing, Daigon Elmy, Reagan Poncelet, and Jacob Wassermann.

All photos below courtesy of Marla Possberg.