Flin Flon lost their Friday night game against La Ronge 4-1 - and, for the time being, lost a pair of spots in the league standings.
The surging Ice Wolves took over the game in the third period, taking the lead late and adding a pair of empty-net insurance markers.
The Bombers opened the scoring late in the second period with Drew Kuzma poking in a powerplay goal past Ice Wolves goalie Xavier Cannon. After no scoring in the first 39 minutes, Flin Flon entered the second intermission ahead 1-0.
The lead wouldn't last. With La Ronge on the powerplay early in the third, Bryan Gilman tied it up, then Conrad Mitchell capitalized on a failed Bomber clearing attempt and turnover to give the Ice Wolves the lead - one they would not relinquish. Colten Thompson and Ryley Morgan each added empty net goals for La Ronge.
Rough stuff took place after the final whistle, with Flin Flon's Brett Wieschorster and La Ronge's Gilman scrapping after time had expired, then a dust-up between Mason Kaspick and La Ronge's Parker Layton. Earlier in the game, La Ronge's Brandon Della Paolera got a five-and-a-game for a check from behind on Bomber captain Zak Smith - Smith remained on the ice for several moments but left the ice under his own power.
The Bombers did not hunger for offense on the evening - the team recorded 53 shots on the evening, but Cannon was more than up to the task, making 52 saves for a big La Ronge win. Cal Schell stopped 24 pucks in the loss.
After a rock-solid start to the 2022 calendar year, the Bombers have seen their results fall apart recently. After beating Battlefords twice at home in early February, the team has gone 2-6 in their last eight games, beating only second-last place Nipawin in that time.
The loss will have, for the time being at least, a huge impact for the Bombers in the SJHL playoff race. While the Bombers lost, the Battlefords North Stars and Melfort Mustangs both won. The Bombers stood pat with 69 points and four games to go, while the other two wins pushed the Bombers down from third place in the SJHL to fifth in a matter of moments.
The Mustangs, who have three games left this season, now have 71 points and sit third place in the league - and they've also taken over top spot in the Sherwood division from the Bombers. The Stars, with 70 points and five games left, also moved ahead of the Bombers and, if the standings hold throughout the last two weeks of the regular season, will be the Bombers' date for the first round of the playoffs - with the Bombers losing home ice advantage.
The Bombers' season will hinge on their final four games of the season. The team plays La Ronge Saturday night at the Whitney Forum and plays their final home game of the season Tuesday, where they'll hope to make up ground on rivals Melfort. A rematch between the two teams goes Thursday night in Melfort before the Bombers end the regular season Friday night on the road against the Stars.
