Coming into Wednesday night, the Battlefords North Stars were the hottest team in the SJHL. Not anymore. The Flin Flon Bombers took the crown with a 4-2 victory.
Dondre Watson got two goals and an assist in a win, including a power-play goal in the third that stood as the game-winner. Rylee Zimmer added a goal and an assist against the Stars, who were ranked this week as the ninth-best junior A team in Canada. Connor Beebe got two assists and Nate Hooper added a goal for Flin Flon.
Troy Gerein and Connor Logan each tallied a goal for the Stars, but no one else could solve Bomber goalie Zac Robidoux, who earned the win with 41 saves. Both Battleford goalies saw crease time, with Joel Grzybowski saving 28 shots and Taryn Kotchorek making 5 saves. Gryzbowski took the loss.
The game cut short Battlefords' six-game winning streak, while extending the Bombers' winning streak to six. The Bombers have now won 12 of their last 13 games and at least one point in 18 of their last 20 games. The team is also 4-0 with assistant coach Gary Childerhose as the team's temporary bench boss.
Flin Flon now has 46 points on the season and a sizable lead in the Sherwood Division. Battleford still holds the overall league lead with 54 points.
The Stars and Bombers will play a grudge match in Battleford Dec. 16, before heading to Kindersley to play the Klippers on Dec. 17.
