No team in the SJHL is better at keeping pucks out of the net than the Flin Flon Bombers.
Their problem is finding the back of the mesh themselves.
Prior to last night’s games, the Bombers had scored the second-fewest goals in the league so far this season.
Flin Flon’s disappointing output of 51 markers in 20 games put them ahead of only the lowly Notre Dame Hounds, who had 43 goals in 18 games.
Over the weekend the Bombers managed just three goals in two games on the road versus Melville and Yorkton.
Just as concerning for fans is the fact that Flin Flon has been shut out in 20 per cent of their games this season – four times in 20 match-ups.
Of course there have been offensive bright spots.
Winger Cameron Blair (8G, 12A, 20P) is in the top 10 in league scoring despite having missed five games. The same goes for towering winger Brett Boehm (9G, 11A, 20P), who missed four games.
Despite spending 57 minutes in the sin bin, skilled centre (and local product) Dillan McCombie (7G, 5A, 12P) has put up very respectable numbers.
McCombie is roughly on pace to match last season’s output (21G, 13A, 34P).
Winger Parker Evans-Campbell (5G, 7A, 12P), a pickup from Alberta, has proven himself a valuable addition to the roster indeed.
It remains to be seen whether winger Austin Calladine (3G, 5A, 8P) can maintain his impressive output after just 10 games. He has one point in his last three games.
More goals from the back end would be welcome, with the Bombers’ top six D-men managing a combined total of six markers – half of which came from big Danys Chartrand.
Flin Flon’s output must be measured against its defense, of course, and on that front the Bombers are tops in the league.
The lamp behind Devin Buffalo and Simon Hofley has turned red just 44 times in 20 games – an incredibly stingy average of 2.2 times per match-up.
Buffalo’s otherworldly .945 save-percentage in 15 games is, incredibly, almost equalled by Hofley’s .940 SP.
It may be a cliché (or perhaps a sign of hometown bias) to say so, but on the whole the Bombers are better than their .500 record suggests.
Again excluding last night’s games, Flin Flon ranks eighth out of 12 SJHL teams with 20 points.
That’s no reason to panic, but it is cause for concern.
Fortunately, with almost two-thirds of the season remaining, there’s time to turn the corner.
Flin Flon’s output must be measured against its defense, of course, and on that front the Bombers are tops in the league.
Bombers winger Seamus Maguire moves the puck down the ice during a recent game at the Whitney Forum.
PHOTO BY KELLY CARRINGTON
