The Bombers got a dose of redemption at home Friday night, shutting out Melfort 5-0 in a spirited tilt.
The game saw the season debut of pest extraordinaire Matt Raymond and he wasted no time for the Bombers, getting involved by exchanging shots with Boston Maxwell before the opening puck drop. Maxwell would head to the box for roughing not even 30 seconds into the game, but the Bombers made no use of the extra man on.
No offence to report was seen until the second period, when Nathan Gagne got the last touch on a Reece Richmond one-timer halfway through the period, beating Melfort's Joel Favreau to open the scoring. Seconds later, before the goal could even be announced over the Whitney Forum PA, Mason Kaspick was sprung on a partial breakaway and made it 2-0 Flin Flon.
Zak Smith would add a pair of late goals, one going five-hole on a breakaway and the next within feet of the net on a scramble, to make things 4-0 Flin Flon. Melfort's Tye Evans tried to get the 'Stangs on the board when given a penalty shot late in the period, but his Peter Forsberg-like deke attempt looked more like Peter Griffin than Forsberg, losing the handle in the crease. Raymond would get in another tussle with Melfort's Curtis Hammond late in the period, ending a period that was all Flin Flon, all the time.
The third period was more of the same, with neither team finding purchase. Melfort coach Trevor Blevins pulled netminder James Venne (Favreau was pulled in the second) with over two minutes left and down by four - that ended with pain, as Jaxon Martens found the empty net moments later. Ethan McColm and Dawson Leroux scrapped it out late, with McColm getting the final takedown and both players getting the first chance at the warm showers. The horn sounded with a 5-0 victory.
Cal Schell got his fourth shutout of the season with the win, making 30 saves on the night. Venne and Favreau split the loss for Melfort, with Favreau making 15 saves and Venne making 14.
The win keeps the Bombers in fourth places in the SJHL standings, one point back of Estevan and two back of Battlefords. The Bombers sit third in the league in point percentage, behind only Humboldt and Estevan.
The Bombers are back in action Saturday night against Notre Dame.
