The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The 6-0 win over the Melfort Mustangs gave a hint of what the first round of playoffs could be like this year between the Mustangs and the Bombers. Tuesday night, the Maroon and White hit the ice for one of their last regular season games before dressing to face the Mustangs in the Conference Semi-Finals starting February 27. Just shy of 900 fans were out for Tuesday's game to watch as Matt Weninger earned his second shutout in as many games. The Bombers have created a nice little winning streak for themselves and assistant coach Trevor Sack says they are right where they want to be. "I think we play the whole season to get to (this point)," says Sack, noting that the Bombers are set on a good pace. "We want to be playing our best hockey going into the playoffs." Although one never knows how the play offs are going to go, if Tuesday's game was any indication, the Bombers have this series wrapped up. "We feel comfortable playing Melfort," Sack says. "We have confidence and this (was) our fourth win against (them) this year." Going into the game, Sack says both teams had to send a message. It was the Bombers who sent the stronger message. "We're the team to beat in that series, not them," says the assistant bench boss. Taking a look at the game, the Bombers were not only able to pick up a few goals, but the team played a full 60 minutes of hockey. "There was not one guy who lapsed," Sack says. "Everyone bought into the system and that's what you where you want to be going into the playoffs." Coming up with goals for the Bombers were Tommy Castonguay (two), Josh Garneau, Harley Garrioch, Doug McLeod and Devin Mitzner. As well as shutting out the Mustangs, the Bombers came out on top with shots on goal as well. For the Maroon and White, they handed off 35 while Weninger was given 18 throughout the whole game. Also adding up were the penalty minutes Ð for both teams. The Bombers were in for boarding before McLeod was given five minutes in the box and a 10-minute misconduct for fighting with Jeff Hein. An unsportsmanlike conduct call came against the Bombers as well as another fight Ð this time between Louis Labbe and Ethan Wigley. And just seconds later, Michael Young was given his five minutes after Bo Lenard picked a fight with him. A few more minor penalties were served before Patrick Sitko was given five minutes for fighting, two minutes for instigating and a 10-minute misconduct for fighting with Devin Stillar. The following is a scoring summary for the Flin Flon Bombers: Coming up on a power play, Castonguay accepted a pass from Alex Lamontagne and Young for the team's first goal Ð coming in just before the four minute mark in the second period. Though the first period was scoreless, the Bombers were making up for lost time in the second period as Garneau came through with the team's second goal Ð with help from Young and Reid MacLeod. The third goal, another power play goal, came from Garrioch with help from Mathieu Lecours and Ben Bitz before Castonguay came through with his second goal of the night late in the period. With help from MacLeod and Cole Wilson, the forward was able to round out the team's goals to four in the second period. And the team kept the same pace in the third period with an unassisted goal from McLeod again just before the four minute mark. Some time went by as the Bombers were unable to earn another goal, but Mitzner changed that as he got the puck from Lecours and McLeod for the team's sixth and final goal of the game.
