Flin Flon came out on the losing end of a southern slugfest with Estevan Wednesday night, losing 8-6.
The Bombers would open the scoring seven minutes in with a goal from Jacob Vockler, who snuck a looping backhand past Bruins netminder Cam Hrdlicka. Estevan would tie the game shortly after, with Kade Runke stealing the puck from Bomber forward Liam Bridger, skating in and beating Harmon Laser-Hume.
Flin Flon would catch a break midway through the first, when Jeremi Tremblay took a stick on the hands on a breakaway - the refs gave Tremblay a penalty shot. Despite the wide open chance, Hrdlicka made the save, keeping the game tied.
Alex Von Sprecken would get his revenge on his hometown club late in the period, sneaking through his former Bruin teammates and scoring his first goal as a Bomber, giving Flin Flon the lead. Moments later, Runke got his team's second of the night on a wet fart of a goal that snuck through the crease past a sprawling Laser-Hume. The score was 2-2 after two.
Estevan would take the lead early in the second with Von Sprecken in the box - Mitch Kohner would be sprung on a partial breakaway and score, making it 3-2 Estevan. Kohner would add a second goal, burning Von Sprecken on a second partial break and beating Laser-Hume, then Runke would finish up his hat-trick by going five-hole on the Bomber goalie.
The Bruins ran into penalty trouble late in the second, taking a pair of penalties on the same play and going down 5-on-3 for two minutes or less. Tremblay made good on his penalty shot miss early on, cleaning up a rebound and putting it past Hrdlicka, then Cole Duperreault fired home a one-timer that went in, making it 5-4 late in the second.
Estevan would get the momentum back at the very last minute, with Liam Lucas banking in a shot from behind the net that got caught up in Laser-Hume and found its way into the goal with less than three seconds to go. Despite clawing their way back, four goals against put the Bombers down 6-4 after 40.
The Bruins' discipline would come back to haunt them to start the third though, with Flin Flon starting on a powerplay - one on which Duperreault would score, bringing things back to a one-goal game. On top of that, Estevan would take another penalty on the play, giving the Bombers another man advantage for a full two minutes. Flin Flon would get chances, but couldn't convert.
With the sides back even, a Von Sprecken point shot would get the Bombers back on the scoresheet - Matt Egan got a stick on it and knocked it past Hrdlicka. After going down 5-2, the Bombers had tied it at 6-6.
With the game tied, it was the Bombers' turn to end up in penalty trouble. Wyatt Cook and Lucas Fry both ended up in the box, forcing the Bombers into a crucial penalty kill. Despite close calls for the Bruins, the Bombers battled back and got out the other side unscathed.
Estevan wouldn't be denied forever though. With eight minutes to go, Kohner would knock in a goal to finish up his own hat-trick and give the home team the lead back.
While the Bombers had late chances, back-to-back road game fatigue set in late in the third period. With Laser-Hume on the bench for an extra attacker, a pokecheck by Cody Davis would lead to him scoring an empty net goal, icing it for the Bruins.
Laser-Hume would eat the L for Flin Flon, making 31 saves and letting in seven goals. Hrdlicka, despite giving up six goals of his own, got a 34-save win.
The Bombers will have a rest day Thursday before two more back-to-back road games this weekend - one in Weyburn Friday and a second Saturday night in Notre Dame.
