The Bombers continued a good run in preseason action Saturday night in La Ronge, beating a young Ice Wolves squad 5-2.
Flin Flon got their second win in a row, icing a lineup consisting mainly of rookies and training camp invitees against La Ronge, who did the same. The Bombers' squad for the game had just five players from last year's team, with no 20-year-old players.
Like they did a night earlier, Flin Flon opened the scoring less than a minute in, with Joey Lies, back in the lineup after a stint out with an injury, firing one from the point past La Ronge goalie Ethan Merriman - a goal he will desperately want back. That goal would be the only one of the first period, giving Flin Flon a 1-0 lead heading into the second.
The Bombers extended the lead further in the second, with newcomer Trevor Stenglein scoring his second goal in as many days after catching a pass in the high slot and firing away, beating Merriman. Moments later, a turnover in the defensive zone spelled further doom for the Ice Wolves, as Jack Bechard picked up the puck, fed Ethan Andrews in the slot and Andrews tipped it home, making it 3-0 Bombers.
Once the third rolled around, the Bombers made it elementary. Dawson Karol extended the lead to four with a high-slot wrister that beat Ice Wolves second goalie Kael Ratt, then Stenglein scored again, capitalizing on a Ratt rebound.
Things heated up in the third, with a moment of undisciplined play putting the Bombers behind a man. Jackson Maloney, coming into the zone for the Bombers, was ruled offside but fired the puck anyway after the whistle, starting a pileup in the corner and ending with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
La Ronge would not leave goalless. Defender Jamieson Franz jumped on a stray rebound near the Bomber net, getting the Ice Wolves on the board in the mid-third, then a second shot from the slot later on by Dylan Daneliuk got past Bomber netminder Kenny Marquart, making it 5-2 - the final score on the night.
The Ice Wolves' goalies faced more rubber than a tire shop, seeing more than 20 shots each during their halves of the game. Merriman stopped 23 shots, while Ratt made 19 saves.
The Bombers will play two more preseason games - one in Melfort Sept. 12, then their final one at the Whitney Forum Sept. 14 against La Ronge. The Bombers open their season Sept. 22 against Nipawin, then have their home opener Sept. 23 against the Melfort Mustangs.
