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Bomber Game Report: Flin Flon offence shut down in 2-0 Game 2 loss

On a night where the power went out twice in Estevan, it was the Bomber offence that short circuited. Estevan shut Flin Flon down 2-0, putting the Bombers down 2-0 in the series.
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Bomber Game Report

On a night where the power went out twice in Estevan, it was the Bomber offence that short circuited. Estevan shut Flin Flon down 2-0, putting the Bombers down 2-0 in the series.

The game started late due to an ongoing snow storm in Estevan shutting off the juice, delaying the scheduled start by about an hour. The power would go out again late in the first, putting a premature end to the period and sending both teams to the dressing rooms - the arena went dark with 48.8 seconds left in the first. Once power was restored, the two teams played the final 48.8 seconds before going into the second period as normal.

A winter storm warning was in effect for Estevan, with well over a foot of snow expected and harsh northerly winds.

"Be prepared for possible power outages," reads the warning issued by Environment Canada April 23.

"Visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow. Road closures are possible. Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve."

A back-and-forth first period led to more of the same in the second, with Bomber captain Zak Smith dumping a Bruin into his own bench with a check, but the Bruins would draw first blood. An Olivier Pouliot shot from the point would hit traffic in front, going through Cal Schell's five-hole after being redirected. A late pair of powerplays and a four-on-four gave some chances for offence, but Estevan would still lead 1-0 heading into the third.

After more back and forth play, Jacob Vockler had a golden opportunity to get the Bombers tied midway through the third. Sprung on a breakaway, Vockler went mano-a-mano with Estevan's Boston Bilous, but fired it right into Bilous' glove. Not long after, Vockler would then get two minutes for an elbow to an Estevan player's head, followed shortly after by Xavier Lapointe getting a slashing penalty. While the Bombers would go down five-on-three, Flin Flon would kill the penalty off and stay alive.

With Schell on the bench and the net empty in the final moments, the Bombers got a pair of great chances - a blast from Lapointe, a bounce in the slot that Bilous knocked away. Regardless of the late momentum, the Bruins would get the puck down to the Bombers' end, where a Rylan Thiessen turnover in the zone to Pouliot sealed the Bombers' fate. Pouliot scored on the empty net, making it 2-0 - the eventual final score.

Schell came close to getting what would have been his third shutout of the playoffs, making 28 saves, while Bilous stopped all 26 shots the Bombers put at him, getting his first playoff shutout.

It is the first time during these playoffs that the Bombers have been shut out. The 26 shots mustered up by the Bombers is the lowest amount the team has managed this playoff run.

The Bombers will host the next two games of the series next week. Unless the schedule is delayed due to the nasty weather around Estevan, the Whitney Forum will see Game 3 Tuesday night and Game 4 Wednesday night. The Bombers will need to win at least one of those games to continue the series to Estevan for Game 5, which would be held April 30. Game 6, if needed, would be played May 3 in Flin Flon, while a possible Game 7 would be played in Estevan May 6.

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