Four wins in a week. A five-game winning streak, with each win coming against playoff-position teams. These Bombers mean business.
Flin Flon beat the Broncos in a Saturday night classic at the Whitney Forum 5-2, cementing them on top of both the SJHL standings and the national junior A rankings.
Neither team got off to a hot start, but it would be the Bombers opening the scoring late in the first. Late in the first period, Carter Anderson golfed a shot off a faceoff that deflected off Koen Senft, over Benjamin Motew and into the net.
A late-period surge of shots for the Bombers was the only thing keeping the first from being single-digit chances for both teams. Senft's goal was the only goal to speak of after a quick first period.
Starting the second with a four-on-four, Flin Flon almost got ahead from two chances by Liam Bridger, coming in hot after jumping out of the box. Nonetheless, Motew made the save.
The Bombers' lead would be extended four minutes into the second by a gorgeous play by the team's captain. Justin Lies picked up the puck at the half-wall, danced around Travis Bryson, played keep-away on Connor Thue, cut right past Matthew Van Blaricom and evaded both Chase Cooke and Motew for a goal-of-the-year contender, bringing the Forum to its feet again with a beautiful backhander. 2-0, Flin Flon.
Humboldt cut the lead in half a few moments after, descending on Laser-Hume's net and banging home a loose puck. Maddox Amaral was judged to have thwacked the puck last.
The hits started coming and Flin Flon came off worse from it, with Humboldt's Daylan Weigel dumping Carter Anderson behind the net and the Bomber forward going down at an awkward angle, leading Anderson staying on the ice injured. The sniper was taken to the Bomber dressing room and Weigel was taken to the box for interference.
The Bombers got a goal on the ensuing powerplay, with Alexi Sylvestre redirecting a point shot past Motew, making it 3-1. That lead would stand going into the third.
Anderson would come back out with the Bombers for the third and the home team would try to defend their lead. Humboldt cut the lead to one when Chase Cooke fired a wrister through traffic and past Laser-Hume.
Flin Flon would regain the two-goal lead, and got their goal from an old friend making his comeback. Matt Egan, playing his first game in almost two months, took a wrister from the side and fired it past Motew, making the Forum erupt in joy.
Humboldt fought back late, pulling Motew with moments to go, but Lies took advantage of the open net, skating it down and firing the puck into the yawning cage.
Laser-Hume got the win with 37 saves, winning his second game against Humboldt in as many nights. Motew made 35 stops in a losing effort.
The Bombers, having now played 20 games, have 37 of a possible 40 points and an 18-1-1-0 record. The second-place Battlefords North Stars, who have played three more games, are four points back. Humboldt is now eight points back in third place.
After taking their first - and, so far, only - regulation loss of the year to Melville Oct. 28, the Bombers have now won five straight, including four wins in the last six days. That includes wins against fourth-place Melfort Nov. 2, seventh-place Weyburn and eighth-place Estevan at the SJHL Showcase and two wins over third-place Humboldt. Over the past week, the Bombers have scored 24 goals and have given up just five.
The wins over Humboldt also mean the Bombers have beaten all 10 teams they've played - the only squad Flin Flon hasn't beaten yet are reigning champs Battlefords, who Flin Flon won't get a chance to play until Jan. 26.
After playing four games this week and winning all four, the Bombers will have a three-game weekend next week, with each taking place on the road. First will come a Nov. 24 matchup against Yorkton, followed the next night with a game against Melville and with a third game Nov. 26 against the Terriers.
