It wasn't always smooth, but the Bombers got it done in Game 2, beating Humboldt 4-2.
The Bombers went up 2-0 in the series, coming back in the second period to earn a weekend sweep.
Humboldt would have to answer back after a Game 1 defeat and they opened the game strong, testing Matt Kieper with plenty of shots early on. The Broncos made it work midway through the period, opening the scoring and taking their first lead of the series. Kye Benoche picked off a stray breakout pass, came in on the wing and beat Kieper with a fast wrister. Humboldt was up 1-0 - and captain Landon Stromme, just one night removed from a hit that threatened to knock him out of the series, not only contributed to the play but logged an assist.
While both teams focused on finesse early on, the hits would come with time, first as a trickle, then as a flood, especially later in the first. The teams traded penalties - Landon Alexander for head contact on a high hit on Oakley McIlwain, then one on Tre Fouquette for taking out Keefe Gruener's legs with a trip after a whistle. Neither team managed to convert and the Broncos entered the second with their one-goal lead intact, the Bombers having turned in a sloppy opening frame.
The lead wouldn't last, with Flin Flon getting chances to even the score early. With Benoche in the box on an interference rap for hauling Koen Senft down away from the puck, the Bombers tightened up and got results. A Liam Hunks point shot got through the ravel and Leighton Carruthers got a last whack on the puck, getting it past Dazza Mitchell and tying the game.
The Bombers kept pressing throughout the second, then made it work again moments later, courtesy of Ryder Ringor. The Winnipegger blew through coverage, put a shot high stick side on Mitchell and it went in, giving Flin Flon their first lead of the night.
From there, the physicality ratcheted up. A pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties came from Benoche and Pierce Yakimchuk after a netfront battle, then a pair of roughing calls on Ryder Mucha and McIlwain after a tussle while both were tangled on the ice. This was playoff hockey - intense, physical, with little abandon for the safety of themselves or others.
Humboldt's discipline issues hurt them in Game 1 and they came back to haunt the Broncos again in Game 2. With a pair of Broncos in the box and a five-on-one for the Bombers, Gruener made them pay, putting a pinpoint blast past Mitchell from well downtown.
Benoche cut the Bombers' lead to one, with corralling the rebound on a point shot and knocking it home with a backhand. The Broncos were back in the game late in the second.
Tempers boiled over late in the frame. With the puck stuck under Kyle Marsden near the blueline and Humboldt sticks digging underneath him, Gruener picked up and dumped Tyce Penrod, setting off some quick gloved punches, grappling and spirited shoving. Marsden handled Marik Mamic and Penrod, one in each hand, while the officials got in the middle of the fracas and kept it from escalating further. Nobody dropped their gloves but penalties were assessed - one on the Broncos' Liam Rodman for starting the mess, then one each on Gruener and Natan Meunier-Roberge for continuing it.
The Broncos got a short powerplay, then got a 5-on-3 with Anthony Piccininno getting sent to the box for grabbing the puck. Humboldt would get an extended chance with two men up, almost tying it up twice in the late second, but the Bombers killed it off heading into the third, with some big saves by Kieper making the difference.
With Humboldt's chance to tie the game done early in the third, the Broncos couldn't keep their cool. An early penalty put them on the back foot, then another stoppage soon after with not one but two clear calls put Flin Flon up two players again. The Bombers didn't convert on either chance, but right when the 5-on-3 ended, Fouquette took another clear penalty, boarding Gruener and gift-wrapping the Bombers another chance.
The Bombers failed to convert again late, but the referees put their whistles away late. Mucha took a hard, awkward hit in the neutral zone from Benoche - Mucha fell down while handling the puck and Benoche caught hard and high, not having enough time to adjust the check. No penalty was called and the game kept rolling.
The pace was frantic and the players kept pressure up. Gruener and Ringor came in on a two-on-one and couldn't convert, while the Broncos kept up desperate efforts to get the game tied.
Mitchell was pulled with about two minutes to go and Broncos coach Brayden Klimosko called a timeout. The Broncos would do their best to push it back down the ice, but the Bombers got a last burst of luck on the night - in the final minute, after Piccininno cleared the puck out of the zone, Ringor got a spinning shot to go from way downtown into the yawning cage. There was no funny business to end the night - just a Flin Flon win and a 2-0 series lead.
Kieper got the win with a 30 save performance, while Mitchell, who made 37 saves on the night, got saddled once more with the loss.
The series will now shift to Humboldt and the Elgar Petersen Arena for Games 3 and 4, which will be played March 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time, 8:30 p.m. Manitoba time. If it's needed, Game 5 will take place in Flin Flon March 29.
Elsewhere in the league, Melfort continued their early dominance against Kindersley, beating them 6-1 and moving to their own 2-0 series lead. Battlefords fought back on the road in Weyburn to tie their series up, defeating the Wings 5-2, while the fourth series between Yorkton and Melville was idle for the night - the two teams will play Sunday night instead.
