2008 RBC Cup

HOST 1 - WEST 6
SAT. MAY 10
SEMI-FINAL

Edward Gale scored twice and Tory Allan added a goal and an assist as the Humboldt Broncos advanced to the championship game for the second time in five years with a 6-1 win over the Cornwall Colts on Saturday night. » summary

EAST 1 - WEST 4
THU. MAY 8
PRELIMINARY ROUND

The Schroeder brothers - Scott and Steven - combined for five points as the Humboldt Broncos clinched a berth in the semi-finals of the 2008 RBC Cup with a dominating 4-1 win over the Weeks Crushers. » summary

CENTRAL 7 - WEST 6
WED. MAY 7
PRELIMINARY ROUND

Jeremy Welsh had a hat trick and Lindsay Sparks scored the game winner seven minutes into the third period as the Oakville Blades kept their semi-final hopes alive with a 7-6 win over the Humboldt Broncos. » summary

WEST 1 - PACIFIC 2
MON. MAY 5
PRELIMINARY ROUND

Joe Colborne and Dylan Olsen scored powerplay goals 1:57 apart midway through the third period as the Camrose Kodiaks stayed unbeaten with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Humboldt Broncos on Monday afternoon. » summary

WEST 7 - HOST 0
SAT. MAY 3
PRELIMINARY ROUND

Laurent Benjamin scored a hat trick and added two assists and Edward Gale picked up four points of his own as the Humboldt Broncos opened the 2008 RBC Cup with a convincing 7-0 win over the host Cornwall Colts. » summary

HUMBOLDT BRONCOS
HEADING TO THE RBC CUP

The Humboldt Broncos, the champions of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, are the first team to advance to the 2008 RBC Cup. The Broncos defeated the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions, the Portage Terriers in 4 straight games to claim the Anavet Cup. » more

REGULAR SEASON

RECORD – 49W 9L 0OTL 1SOL (1st in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League)
GOALS FOR – 235 (1st)
GOALS AGAINST – 113 (1st)
TOP SCORER – Jordan Schindel (30G 35A 65P)

PLAYOFFS

SELECTION SERIES – finished 1st (4-1 and 2-2 vs. Melfort, 6-0 vs. Flin Flon)
QUARTERFINAL – defeated Nipawin Hawks 4-1 (3-1, 4-3, 5-2, 3-4, 9-2)
SEMI-FINAL – defeated Flin Flon Bombers 4-0 (7-1, 2-0, 4-0, 3-0)
SJHL CHAMPIONSHIP – defeated Kindersley Klippers 4-3 (3-4, 4-5, 4-2, 4-5, 3-1, 3-2, 8-2)
ANAVET CUP – defeated Portage Terriers 4-0 (5-3, 6-4, 3-0, 5-0)

PREVIOUS NATIONAL JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
2 appearances (1987 – runner-up, 2003 – national champions)

After coming up one goal short of a berth in the RBC Royal Bank Cup one year ago – losing a four-overtime marathon to the Selkirk Steelers in Game 7 of the ANAVET Cup – the Humboldt Broncos will play for the National Junior A Championship in 2008. Humboldt rolled through the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League during the regular season, finishing with a 48-9-0-1 record and the league’s top offense (4.05 goals for per game) and top defense (1.95 goals against per game). Up front, six players cracked the 40-point barrier – only Kindersley and Yorkton had as many – and goaltender Taylor Nelson set SJHL records for lowest goals against average (1.74) and most shutouts (7) in one season. After topping Flin Flon and Melfort in the Selection Series, the Broncos chose to face Nipawin, who had survived a six-game series with LaRonge, in the second round. The Broncos knocked off the Hawks in five games to set up a conference final against Flin Flon, a series that was never close. The Bombers opened the scoring in the first period of Game 1, and then did not score again in the series, as Nelson set an SJHL record with a shutout streak of over 224 minutes and the Broncos outscored Flin Flon 16-1 in a four-game sweep. Entering the SJHL final on a 38-wins-in-41-games run, the Broncos were shocked in overtime by Kindersley in Game 1, dropped Game 2 on the road and, after winning Game 4, lost Game 4 in triple overtime, putting Humboldt on the brink of elimination. But the Broncos showed why they were Saskatchewan’s best team in the regular season, winning games 5, 6 and 7 to avoid the upset and claim their second straight league title, and third in six years. After the struggle of the SJHL final the Broncos rolled in the ANAVET Cup against the Manitoba champions from Portage, needing just four games to sweep aside the Terriers and advance to their first RBC Cup since winning the national championship in 2003.