The Bronco boys hockey team has begun the 2011-12 season with two home victories — one close and another by a wide margin.

In the season opener featuring ties and lead changes, International Falls recorded its first win with 23.4 seconds left in overtime.

Mason Meyer scored the game-winning goal Saturday to defeat Little Falls, 6-5.

“I think the boys played as well as they could their first game,” said Broncos head coach Bruce Elson. “Certainly they could play better — for being nervous in your first game, for being a home opener, for a younger club like this, very few guys played varsity last year — for these guys, it was a good game.”

Elson said International Falls had the momentum in its favor with an early 2-0 lead.

“The momentum shift is something we have to keep, and something we didn’t do (Saturday),” he said.

After the Broncos’ Kyler Schneider was called for interference 30 seconds into game, Lucas DeBenedet scored an unassisted short-handed goal 25 seconds later. Then Meyer scored the first of his two goals on an assist by Derek White with 8:15 left in the opening period.

Little Falls forward Luke Majerle got the Flyers on the scoreboard 1:10 later with a goal assisted by Joey Hanowski.

The Broncos pulled back in front by two goals when senior forward Brett Musich scored with 14:07 in the second period.

Little Falls then responded with three consecutive goals as the Flyers took the lead with 3:32 left in the second period when Hanowski scored on an assist from Ben Newman.

Though Little Falls went on the power play 25 seconds later when White was called for interference, DeBenedet scored another short-handed goal with 2:56 left in the period to tie the game at 4-4.

The Flyers then sailed in front by a goal with 10:55 to play in regulation when forward Austin Bjorge scored on an assist by Mike Holthaus.

Little Falls went back on the power play about a minute later when White was called for elbowing. Then DeBenedet recorded a short-handed hat trick as he tied the game with 9:08 left in the third period on an unassisted goal.

“Any time (DeBenedet is) on the ice, he’s a threat to score...,” Elson said. “It definitely should serve as a reminder to every team that on a power play you can’t lay your guard down, because there’s always somebody out there who can put the puck in the net.”

The Broncos outshot the Flyers, 30-26, with Wes Gunnerson recording the victory in goal with 21 saves.

I. Falls 8, Eveleth-Gilbert 0

Three Falls players scored two goals apiece Tuesday night as the Broncos recorded a shutout at home against Eveleth-Gilbert, 8-0

Meyer, DeBenedet and Joel Skirten each had two goals with Schneider and Luke Spilde adding single goals as the Broncos scored three times in the opening period and four more goals in the second period before the final goal came during running time in the final 17 minutes.

“I thought we came a little better prepared (Tuesday),” Elson said. “The defense knew that their role was to move the puck quickly.”

Falls outshot the Golden Bears, 48-15, as Gunnerson recorded the shutout in goal.

“It came down to us moving the puck, and we started moving the puck and getting to the puck first,” Elson said.

The Broncos host two more games later this week when they play Hibbing on Friday and Proctor on Saturday.

“Friday’s going to be a totally different story (than the game against Eveleth-Gilbert),” Elson said. “We’re going to get a team that knows how to counter puck movement....A little quicker tempo is what we need next game.”