JOHNSTON THE OVERTIME HERO AS BRONCOS TOP VEES

HUMBOLDT, Sask. – Andrew Johnston scored at 4:57 of overtime, in the dying seconds of a power play, as the Humboldt Broncos handed the Penticton Vees a 3-2 defeat on Sunday night at the 2012 RBC Cup.

Johnston’s goal, which came with three seconds left in a five-minute checking from behind major handed to Penticton defenceman Kyle Beaulieu as regulation time expired, means the Broncos sit alone atop the standings after two days with an unblemished 2-0 record.

The Vees, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2; it’s the first time all season Penticton, which lost 2-1 to the Soo Thunderbirds in Saturday’s tournament opener, has been on the losing end in back-to-back games.

Matt Glowa and John Lawrence had the goals in the regulation time for Humboldt, which has started 2-0 for just the second time in five trips to the National Junior A Championship – it also won its first two games at the 1987 tournament, which the Broncos hosted.

Glowa had an eventful first 28 seconds – he opened the scoring just seven seconds after the opening face-off, poking a loose puck past Penticton netminder Michael Garteig, and received a checking from behind penalty and game misconduct just 21 ticks later.

Wade Murphy scored both goals for the Vees, which had not lost two in a row since dropping Games 2 and 3 of their Interior Conference semifinal to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks during last year’s BCHL playoffs.

Garteig finished with 40 saves, including a couple of huge stops in overtime before Johnston’s winner, while his counterpart in the Humboldt goal, Matt Hrynkiw, kept Penticton’s high-powered offence in check with 29 saves.

Both teams will enjoy an off day before returning to the Elgar Petersen Arena ice on Tuesday – Humboldt goes for a 3-0 start when it faces the Soo Thunderbirds in the matinee (3 p.m. MT), while Penticton takes on the Woodstock Slammers in the evening game (7:30 p.m. MT).