After a season that saw the Flin Flon Bombers reach the Canalta Cup final for the second straight year, head coach Mike Reagan said he enjoyed the drive his team possessed.
After losing games 3 and 4 by scores of 2-1 and 6-5 on April 18 and 19, Flin Flon was swept by the dominant Battlefords North Stars.
“I think what I enjoyed most was how bad they wanted to get back to the finals after last season,” Reagan said. “Guys were committed.”
Flin Flon was also in the league final in 2016, losing to Melfort. With many Bombers returning from that 2016 team, the team believed it had a real shot at the SJHL title.
The Bombers went 39-14-2-3 in the regular season to wrap up the No. 2-overall seed. Flin Flon posted its most regular season wins since the Bombers won 44 in 2000-01.
The Bombers’ return trip to the Canalta Cup final was not easy. Flin Flon knocked off Notre Dame 4-1 in the quarterfinals. In a semifinals clash with the Nipawin Hawks, Flin Flon trailed 2-0 and 3-1 before rebounding to advance.
“I think what got us back to the finals was our character and commitment,” Reagan said.
After beating Nipawin in game 7 on a Tuesday, Flin Flon started the Canalta Cup finals in Battlefords the following Friday.
To the disappointment of a strong group of Bomber backers in attendance, the visiting Bombers lost 3-0 and 5-1 on the road in the first two games.
“I think the difference [in the series] was we didn’t have time to recover after the seven games against Nipawin,” Reagan said. “We started to get our legs back in game 3 and 4, I thought.
“You look at how close we were to going back to Battleford tied 2-2. [If we] win the OT game and don’t blow the 4-2 lead in game 4, we are all even and now it’s a best of three with us having the momentum. Winning and losing is a fine line.”
In addition to the Bombers’ repeat trip to the final, the 2016-17 campaign was memorable for other reasons.
For example, Flin Flon teammates Cory Thomas and Brandon Lesko were selected to Team Canada West, with Reagan serving an assistant coach, for the World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alberta.
At the end of the Canalta Cup final, four Bombers had already earned NCAA Division I scholarships: Greyson Reitmeier (Michigan Tech), Eric Sinclair (University of Anchorage-Alaska), Jason Lavallee (UAA) and Thomas (University of Vermont for 2018-19).
Two camera crews visited during the season. One was for an ESPN documentary on the Bombers; the other for a TSN documentary on Bomber legend Bobby Clarke, who also visited.
“Getting to meet a Bomber legend and one of the NHL’s top 100 players of all time is quite the opportunity and it’s something I’ll never forget,” Flin Flon forward Tyler Millar said.
The Bombers will say goodbye to a number of players who contributed to their success the last couple of seasons.
The team carried nine 20-year-olds this past season: forwards Reitmeier (SJHL Co-Player of the Year, who tied for the league scoring title), Jason Lavallee (team-high 30 goals), Kristian St. Onge and Teal Sobkowicz; defencemen Sinclair (two-time SJHL Defenceman of the Year), captain Braden Lacoursiere, Brandon Masson and Mason Etter; and goalie Zac Robidoux.
“It was very special to play with all of the nine 20-year-olds,” Etter said. “Kristian St. Onge, Brandon Masson, Braden Lacoursiere and myself have all been here for three years, so we grew very close. It’ll be hard to leave so many close friends.”
Flin Flon has a number of key contributors who are eligible to return next season, including goalie Brenden Newton, Rylee Zimmer (third on the team with 64 points), Nick Shumlanski (fourth with 56 points), Lesko (seventh with 49) and Thomas, among others.
