Things didn't go the Bombers' way Tuesday night, dropping a 4-2 decision to the rival Nipawin Hawks.
Carter Wickenheiser got the Hawks on the board less than five minutes in, with Nipawin getting more scoring reinforcement from Maguire Ratzlaff, who added a goal on a high slot shot late in the first. Nipawin extended the lead even further halfway through the second period, when Nik Fomradas made it 3-0 Hawks when he capitalized on an odd man rush.
The Bombers would not be shut out, getting on the board late in the frame after Gabriel Shipper banged home his sixth goal of the year. Barely a minute later, captain Zak Smith scored to bring the Bombers within one.
That was as close as the Bombers would get. Despite a high volume of shots, Nipawin goalie Harmon Laser-Hume was more than game. With momentum on their side late in the third, a pair of late penalties - a tripping call to Smith and a charging penalty to Rylan Thiessen - put the Bombers down two men down a goal in the dying minutes, snuffing out hopes of a comeback.
Ratzlaff ended the night with a powerplay empty net goal, giving the visitors the victory. Ben Montgomery took the L in the Bomber net, making 20 saves, while Laser-Hume stopped 53 pucks and got the win.
Ratzlaff and Rylan Lefebvre each ended with three points for the Hawks.
Flin Flon still sits first in the Sherwood division with 65 points, good enough for third in the league. Battlefords and Melfort are tied for fourth place with 58 points - meanwhile, the Hawks sit second-last in the league and last in the Sherwood division with 38 points, eight points out of a playoff spot with nine games remaining.
The Bombers still lead the season series with the Hawks four games to two, but the two teams will play each other two more times this season - at the Forum Feb. 23 and in Nipawin March 1.
The Bombers will head out on a three-games-in-three-days road trip this weekend, playing in Melville, Yorkton and the Battlefords on consecutive days from Feb. 18-20.
