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.
Three road games last weekend put the Bombers to the test, but the Maroon and White were unable to get past the hurdles Ð the Melville Millionaires, Yorkton Terriers and the Humboldt Broncos. Flin Flon went into the game Friday night against the Millionaires with a loss on their backs and knew it was going to be a difficult first game. ÒThere was no question it was going to be a tough road trip,Ó said head coach and GM Mike Reagan. ÒFor one thing, we are pretty banged up.Ó Though the coach isnÕt making excuses, he says there isnÕt one guy on the bench that is 100 per cent right now, with players being injured and full of bumps and bruises. ÒItÕs just been tough on us,Ó says the coach. Though the team had some hurdles to overcome, Reagan says the team played well in Melville on Friday. ÒWe played 55 solid minutes of road hockey...(it was) unfortunate the reffing was inconsistent,Ó he says, noting that the team ÒcouldnÕt pull (the win) off.Ó Even though the team came out with a good effort, the Millionaires shot past the Bombers for a 5-2 win, while the Terriers won 4-1 Saturday night and the Broncos made it 3-1 on Sunday. In FridayÕs game, Reagan felt the team didnÕt Òcapitalize on the few power plays we had to tie the game or get a hand (up).Ó With shots typically lower for the visiting team, the Bombers fired off nearly 30 shots on the Millionaires, but it wasnÕt enough to secure a victory. Even though the team was there effort-wise, Reagan said his team Òstruggled in the key times of the hockey game.Ó Moving from Melville to Yorkton, the Bombers knew they had some serious work ahead of them Ð getting back the previous nightÕs game. They started off strong with a goal in the first 50 seconds, but the Terriers kept on top of their game as well. ÒWe scored the first goal...but it was a matter of....pressure early on,Ó Reagan says. ÒWe scored the goal early on and didnÕt capitalize.Ó The coach says that seems to be a consistent problem for the Maroon and White. ÒWe have killer instinct,Ó he says. ÒBut then we sit back and think thatÕs all right.Ó SundayÕs game was even harder for the Bombers. ÒWe knew our backs were against the wall,Ó says Reagan. ÒAnd we needed a good effort.Ó The coach says anytime a team plays three games in three days itÕs tough, but thatÕs particularly true when their final opponent is the Humboldt Broncos. ÒWe felt we could pull it off,Ó says the coach. Ò(Matt) Weninger played fantastic, (but again) the refs were not in favour.Ó As well as the tough team they were up against, the Bombers faced two five-on-three penalty kills and went shorthanded four other times. ÒWe were in the penalty box 14 of the first 20 minutes of play,Ó says Reagan, noting that this makes it hard to generate momentum. According to Reagan, the team worked well on their penalty kill, but they Òran out of gas.Ó After tying up the game, the Bombers were unable to generate enough steam to get past the Broncos for the win. With many of the teamÕs key players out, Reagan said the team is looking to the rest of their lineup, where the Òothers will have to step up.Ó He says itÕs the mental errors and mistakes that are hurting the team. Errors are part of anything, says Reagan, who notes that teams go through slumps. He hopes tonightÕs home game against the Battlefords North Stars will bring the Maroon and White out of theirs. ÒEvery team goes though the slumps every year,Ó he says. ÒAnd this is ours. ÒYou lose two or three and make sure you halt it at (that) and not five or six.Ó Looking at his team, Reagan says they are a good group of players. ÒWe have a good opportunity (tonight) to end a losing streak,Ó he says. ÒAnd to get in the win column for December.Ó After tonightÕs match-up, the Bombers have a tough weekend ahead with a game in Melfort Friday night before hosting the Mustangs back in Flin Flon Saturday night. The trio of losses kept the Bombers in third place in the Itech Conference with a record of 15-13-1-1 in 30 games. The following is a summary of FridayÕs game between the Bombers and the Millionaires: As if often the case, the Bombers opened fire first with a goal from Devin Mitzner, with a helper from Mathieu Lecours, on a power play just before the 1:30 mark. But the lead was short lived as the Millionaires answered back with a goal a few seconds later. The score was tied at 1-1 before the first two minutes of play and it stayed that way until Tommy Castonguay broke past Melville for Flin FlonÕs second goal. After accepting a pass at the 15-minute mark from Josh Garneau and Michael Young, Castonguay got past Travis Bosch on a power play. And with less than 30 seconds left, Melville snuck past Weninger for their second goal of the night Ð also on a power play. The Bombers tried to get past the Millionaires in the third period, but had no luck. The Millionaires, on the other hand, were able to get past the Bombers three more times Ð with one more power play goal. With their 55 minutes of solid effort, according to Reagan, the Bombers fired off 29 shots while Weninger faced 43. Both teams were given a number of penalties throughout the game, with the Bombers receiving five minutes for fighting, from David Dykstra, Lecours with two minutes for tripping, Young for holding and Doug McLeod for fighting, instigating and a 10-minute misconduct. The team was given another five minutes for fighting, with Ben Bitz in the box, and Mitch Dougall getting a game misconduct, a 10-minute misconduct, an instigator and a fighting penalty. The following is a summary of SaturdayÕs game between the Bombers and the Terriers: Just as they had the night before, the Bombers scored the first goal of the game. With a helper from Jean-Sebastien Bergeron and Garneau, Reid MacLeod got the puck past Devin Peters on a power play at the 50-second mark. That goal stood for the Bombers through the first period, but it wasnÕt enough for the win. Though the Maroon and White were done scoring, the Terriers began their streak in the second period with four goals against Weninger. The Bombers fired off nine shots on the Terriers, while Weninger had the puck come his way 11 times. A few penalties were called throughout the game with the Bombers in the sin bin for three counts of hooking, two tripping calls and one slashing. The following is a summary of SundayÕs game between the Bombers and the Broncos: It had been a long weekend by the time the Broncos came along. The home team got past Weninger in the first period with a late power play goal. That lead stood for the Broncos until the third period, when Castonguay, with help from Bergeron, scored the gameÕs second goal and tied things up at 1-1. An early third period goal wasnÕt enough for the Bombers and the Broncos got past the Maroon and White twice more for the win. The Bombers walked away from the weekend with no wins, but Reagan say they had a good effort. TonightÕs game against the North Stars will be the BombersÕ chance to regain their territory with a win.
