2008 RBC Cup

BRONCOS ELIMINATE HOST COLTS, ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Turn back the clock, it is 2003 all over again.

Tory Allan scored the game-winning goal on a Humboldt powerplay 13 minutes into the first period, and assisted on Tanner Vandesype’s insurance marker on the man advantage in the first minute of the final period, as the Humboldt Broncos advanced to the championship game of the 2008 RBC Cup with a 6-1 win over the Cornwall Colts on Saturday night.

Edward Gale added a pair of goals for the Broncos, who are one win away from their second National Junior A Championship, but will first have to get past the Camrose Kodiaks – the same team Humboldt beat for their only national title five years ago.

Just as they did in their 7-0 thrashing of the Colts to open the tournament one week ago the Broncos scored first, and just as it was one week ago it was Edward Gale who did the honours – after a Voldy Dashko shot hit a Cornwall stick, bounced off the top of the net and dropped onto the goal line, it was Gale who was there to convert for a 1-0 lead.

But the Colts found a way to do something they didn’t do one week ago – score on Humboldt netminder Taylor Nelson.

Killing a penalty midway through the frame, Alain Joanette, who played in last year’s championship game with the Prince George Spruce Kings, stole the puck at his own blueline and pushed a backhand past Nelson to draw the Colts even and ignite the pro-Cornwall crowd of 2,854.

Unfortunately for the Colts, Joanette was called for roughing after bumping Nelson, putting the tournament hosts two men down.

After successfully killing the first minor, the Colts were not as successful the second time around, as Allan took a pass from Matthew Kirzinger from behind the net and beat Cornwall goaltender Justin Roethlingshoefer to restore the Humboldt lead.

Laurent Benjamin scored the lone goal of the second period, taking a pass from Jordan Schindel and roofing a shot past Roethlingshoefer, and Vandesype, Gale and Matthew Rintoul rounded out the scoring in the third to set up a rematch of Tuesday night’s round-robin classic, won 2-1 by the Kodiaks.

Gale was named player of the game for the Broncos, while Roethlingshoefer – who gathered the entire Cornwall team together for his acceptance photo – received the honour for the Colts.

The puck will drop on Sunday afternoon for the championship game at 1:00 p.m. ET, and the game can be seen LIVE on TSN.