Nothing gets Bomber fans going quite like a big win and some old-time hockey.
The Bombers got back in the win column on home ice Friday night with a 7-4 win over the Estevan Bruins.
Estevan started the scoring early, with SJHL scoring leader Zach Goberis getting on the board at 4:31 of the first period.
After the early setback, the Bombers took control, scoring three quick goals. Mike Wong started the run with his first SJHL goal, followed three minutes later by a Chrystopher Collin marker to give Flin Flon the lead. Less than thirty seconds after the second goal, Isaac Jackson scored with a blast from the point to give Flin Flon a 3-1 lead. Bruins starter Maxim Sidelnik was yanked from the net after giving up three goals on 10 shots.
Bruins player Zach King-Cunningham's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the first gave the Bombers another chance to pad the lead - a chance that Nick Shumlanski took, scoring his seventh of the year and giving the Bombers a 4-1 lead after one period.
Late in the first, King-Cunningham got the spotlight after a late hit to the head of a Bomber player. Donavon Houle-Villeneuve dropped the gloves to defend his teammate, earning both players ejections. King-Cunningham earned 19 minutes in penalties and a game misconduct before the end of the first period.
The hijinks continued after the final whistle for intermission, with Collin receiving a penalty for head contact after a scrum with Bruin Jake Heerspink. During the scrum, Collin's helmet made contact with Heerspink's head.
The second period began with two quick goals for Estevan, with Goberis and Tyson Manz scoring on two unpredictable bounces, closing the gap to 4-3.
However, the Bruins would not come closer. Newly-acquired Bomber Rob Johnson scored his first SJHL goal midway through the second to make it 5-3 Bombers.
Michael McChesney added a goal late in the second, but Shumlanski responding with a quick snapper past Bruin netminder Matt Lukacs, giving the Bombers a 6-4 lead.
The Bombers held on tight in the third period, keeping the lead and expanding on it late, as Johnson added an empty-netter to finish the game for Flin Flon.
Bomber goalie Reese Jones made 31 saves in his first SJHL win, while Lukacs made 35 stops in his relief appearance.
In total, the teams combined for 100 minutes in penalties, two fights and five misconducts. Flin Flon scored three of their seven goals on the power play, taking advantage of the undisciplined play.
The win ends the Bombers' three-game losing streak and gives Flin Flon a 7-2-1-2 home record on the season. While the Bombers have been impressive at home, they seem to lose their mojo on the road, going 1-8-0-1 in other team's rinks.
Flin Flon will get one day off before playing a make-up game against the Melfort Mustangs at home on Nov. 26. The Bombers play five of their next six games at home before going on a lengthy road trip before the holiday break.
