Cage Newans, pictured here against the Notre Dame Hounds, added his ninth and 10th goals of the season against the Millionaires on Jan. 4 in Melville. (Becky Zimmer/northeastNOW Staff)
Disappointing start

Loss in Melville kicks off new year for Broncos

Jan 5, 2022 | 4:25 PM

It may not be how they wanted to end 2022, but the Humboldt Broncos are back on the ice for Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action following a 3-5 loss to Melville.

The new year started on the road with a trip to take on the Millionaires on Jan. 4.

The ninth place Millionaires would trade the Broncos blow for blow throughout the game with Noah Barlage scoring first for the green and gold with his fourth of the season followed by goals from Charles-Thomas Larochelle and Noah Wills adding to Melville total going into the second.

Cage Newans would add his ninth of the season to kick off the second with Wills answering back with 40 seconds left of the period with the Millionaires up by one going into the third.

Enrique Fontes would kick off the third with a goal for Melville to put the Millionaires up by two before Cage Newans found the back of the net again to lessen the deficit to one as the last minutes of the game ticked on.

Broncos goalie, Rayce Ramsay, would take his leave with a minute left as the Broncos tried to find the equalizer, however an empty net goal from the Millionaires’ Nicholas Andrusiak sealed their fate as the last buzzer sounded.

Even with the loss, the Broncos made 33 shots on goal to Melville’s 21 with Ramsay stopping 17 shots on net.

Head coach Scott Barney told northeastNOW it can be tough to get back into the swing of things coming off the break they have.

Melville had already played two games before hitting the ice against the Broncos, so that made a difference, said Barney.

“They’ve already entered that game mode but, unfortunately, when you get those games, I told the guys championships aren’t won on January 4.”

The Broncos are still holding on to first place in the league as two wins for the Melfort Mustangs against the Nipawin helped them climb a little higher in the standings and a loss for Estevan against Battleford means they remain in second.

Barney said, Battleford is on their own high and they are going to bring that momentum when they come to the Elgar Petersen Arena on Jan. 8 as they look to right some wrong following a 7-1 loss against the Broncos on Dec. 18.

The Broncos will also be looking for their own rematch against Melville as they hit the EPA ice at 4 p.m. on Jan. 9.

becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim

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