One and one.
That's where the playoff series between the Humboldt Broncos and Melfort Mustangs stands after Games 1 and 2 of the series.
The Broncos, the younger of the two teams, leaped out to an early series lead with a win in Game 1.
Humboldt went to Melfort for the game on March 4, followed by a busload of Bronco fans and still more who came on their own.
Though Melfort out-shot the Broncos 27-21, it was Humboldt who came out on the higher end of a 2-1 score.
Melfort scored first with a short-handed goal by Bo Lenard at 8:48 of the first period.
But the Broncos tied the game late in the second period, with a goal by Josh Roach, assisted by Neil Landry, at 14:43.
The Broncos then took the lead with a power play goal by Logan Sproule, assisted by Ward Szucki, at 3:32 of the second period.
The Mustangs fought to even the score for the rest of the of third period, even pulling their goalie at some points, but the Broncos held on.
Penalties in the game were relatively minimal for Humboldt-Melfort game. The Broncos recorded just three in the entire game; the Mustangs had eight, including three to Lenard in the third period. Lenard was boxed for charging at 11:23, then again for boarding at 17:42. A 10-minute misconduct was tacked onto the boarding penalty.
The Broncos were one for seven on the power play, while the 'Stangs failed to score on any of the three they were given.
Roach was named as the first star of the game, and goalie Andrew Bodnarchuk as the third.
Brody Haygarth of the Mustangs was listed as the second star.
Broncos head coach Dean Brockman was happy with the early win for his team.
"It was the right result," Brockman said.
"There was a lot of rust in both team's game. But we got the win and that's really all that matters."
Two nights later, when Melfort came to the Elgar Petersen Arena in Humboldt for Game 2, the Mustangs clearly wanted a win. They came out hard in the first period, yelling, screaming and hitting, doing whatever they could to get ahead, which for the most part landed them in the penalty box.
All that energy did result in an early goal for the 'Stangs. Sterling Bear scored the first point for his team unassisted just 44 seconds into the game. On a breakaway, he was able to get past the Humboldt defenders and send the puck sailing past Bronco goaltender Andrew Bodnarchuk before anyone caught up to him.
The Stangs also earned their first penalty early in the game. Brant Henry-Norton was boxed for cross checking Bronco Matt Glowa. At the same time, Melfort's Bo Lenard got a 20-minute gross misconduct for spitting on Glowa.
It was on that power play that the Broncos scored their first and only goal of the game. Greg Ferguson snuck the puck past Melfort goalie Charles Corsi to tie the game at one. Josh Roach got the assist.
At 7:33, goalie Charles Corsi got two minutes for delay of game, a penalty served by Bear, and one that was hotly protested by Melfort coach Darrell Man.
Things didn't get any nicer as the period wore on. Broncos and Mustangs got penalties for roughing, cross checking and elbowing before the final minute of play.
In that final minute, Henry-Norton earned himself four more penalties - three two-minute roughing penalties and a 10-minute misconduct - after getting into an altercation with Bronco Taylor Johnson behind the Melfort net. Johnson also receied a two-minute roughing penalty.
Broncos Dayton Shaw and Ward Szucki got roughing penalties at the same time when they were dragged to the ice by three Mustangs in front of the Melfort net.
The second period was remarkably tamer as Melfort pulled ahead with an unassisted goal by Brayden Metz at 4:41.
Melfort added an insurance goal on a power play at 12:34 of the second, scored by Sean Aschim and assisted by Regan Nabseth.
Brody Haygarth did earn a 10-minute misconduct at the 20-minute mark of the second, but it was just the third penalty for his team in that period. The Broncos had three in that frame as well.
The third was even quieter on the penalty front as Melfort added two more goals to their total. Their fourth of the night game at 1:09 of the third, scored by Aschim and assisted by Jesse Mireau and Henry-Norton.
The fifth came at 14:15, scored by Aschim with the assist going to Nabseth.
Final score: 5-1 Melfort, tying the playoff series at one.
Melfort was one for three on the power play, while Humboldt was one for five. The Mustangs out-shot the Broncos 31 to 27 in the contest.
All three stars of the game were Mustangs: Aschim, Corsi and Nabseth.
The Mustangs "intimidated us big-time," Brockman said of Game 2. "They caught us looking around way too much."
Brockman felt it was a closer game than the 5-1 score would lead one to believe, and he thinks it was a great learning experience for his team, as they now know how Melfort operates.
"It was a real good test," Brockman said.
Looking to Games 3 and 4, Brockman felt speed will make a difference.
"We've got to go in there and get our feet moving.... a bit faster," he said, and speed up reaction time.
"We hope to get a better result."
