The Broncos return to action Friday night when they host the Nipawin Hawks for their first game of the 2017 calendar year.

The team returned to the practice ice this week following their Christmas break.

Third year Bronco Michael Korol said they are pleased to be in the upper half of the standings but they aren't satisfied.

"It's a good feeling, I still think we have a lot of work to do and we're going to have to work hard to stay in fourth place. I think we've got the right group to do it, I think we're all hungry and I think the sky is the limit for this hockey team."

The Broncos did go into the break in the fourth spot but their opponents for the next two nights did move past them. The Hawks will begin the weekend a pair of points up on Humboldt.

Korol says he is leaning on his past experiences saying they need to be better than they were over November and December.

"Having the experience of two years it gets harder after Christmas to win hockey games for sure, now we really need to bear down. I think we've all got to raise our commitment level a little bit. We really have to push here."

Humboldt is 1-1 versus the Hawks this season but they haven't won at the Cage since January 28/2014. Overall they are just 1-10-1-1 versus the Hawks in the last half decade. The green and gold hold serve on home ice for the most part, they are 8-3-1-1 at the Elgar Petersen Arena in the previous five years.

Face-off both nights is 7:30.

You can hear more from Korol below.