2009 RBC Cup

BRONCOS STUN GRIZZLIES WITH LAST-SECOND OT WINNER

VICTORIA, B.C. – Chalk up another heart-stopping win for the Humboldt Broncos.

Seven days after shocking the Victoria Grizzlies by scoring the game-winner shorthanded with just 1.1 seconds remaining in the third period, the Broncos got an overtime goal from Shawn Hunter with 2.3 ticks left on the clock to upend the Grizzlies again, this time 3-2 in Friday’s semifinal.

2009 RBC Cup Photo Gallery Post-game audio: WST - Dean Brockman

The win puts Humboldt in the championship game on Sunday against Vernon (4:30 p.m. PT), where a win would make the Broncos the first team since Vernon in 1990 and 1991 to repeat as national Junior A champions.

The teams traded goals in the first 40 minutes, with Derek Lee opening the scoring in the first period for Victoria before Matthew Kirzinger – making his tournament debut – evened it up for the Broncos late in the second.

Justin Courtnall restored the Grizzlies’ lead early in the final frame, taking a cross-ice pass from Trever Hertz and tucking it around Humboldt netminder Mathieu LaRochelle, setting up a raucous celebration amongst the 2,105 in attendance at Bear Mountain Arena.

But Broncos captain Brady Wacker pulled his team even all by himself, notching an unassisted marker just 2:49 after Courtnall’s goal. It was the first point of the tournament for Wacker, who led Humboldt in scoring in the regular season from the blue line.

Overtime was the LaRochelle show – the Humboldt netminder made a number of all-world saves to keep the Grizzlies from making Sunday an all-British Columbia final.

With the seconds ticking down in the first extra frame, a shot from Taylor Piller snuck through the legs of Victoria goaltender Anthony Grieco and Hunter was Johnny-on-the-spot to poke it home, sending the Broncos to Sunday’s final.