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.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer In celebration of their achievements this past hockey season, the Flin Flon Bombers gathered for their annual awards ceremony. Accepting awards for improvement, most points and popularity, select Bombers made their way to the podium at the Creighton Community Hall on Friday, Feb. 8. But before the awards were handed out, master of ceremonies Clarence Pettersen and Brent Lethbridge gave a humourous speech on the importance of taking care of concussions Ð as well as the amount of people suffering from concussions who might not even know it. Asking everyone to take a look in the eyes to the person on their left, Pettersen and Lethbridge set the tone for a fun evening. With everyone in their seats, Joe Buie said Grace before the team was sent to fill their plates Ð with the rest of those in attendance to follow. Keeping the pace of the evening, Pettersen at one point reenacted the "most famous non-goal of Bomber history." Playing the role of now-Bomber captain Ryan Fox, Pettersen reenacted the player's first time on the ice as a Bomber. With a play-by-play repeat of how Fox made his way, slowly, down the ice from the far blueline to end up deking and then missing the net, Fox was called upon for his furthered success with the team. Regular Season The Bombers ended their regular season on a much different note than they had hoped. Currently, the team is fighting for their life in the playoff Elimination Series against the Battlefords North Stars. The team had hoped to be in the top three of the Bauer Conference, but instead found themselves calling fifth place home. Bomber head coach and GM Mike Reagan addressed the crowd as he began to speak about the hidden talents of the team this year. "I think everyone thinks you just recruit players and all of a sudden, you've got a [championship]," said the coach. "...it just doesn't happen that way. "With this team here, I really feel, and I've said this all year, I really like this team. "...I think our best hockey is still to come." The Bombers are hoping for their best hockey as they are facing the North Stars in a life-or-death playoff series. Reagan says when he looks around the dressing room, he picks out the character of the players. "I always talk about attitude and character with the players," he said. "It's so true that if you have a good attitude and the right character, that will take you a long ways. "I really think that this group has the right attitude and the character in the dressing room." Finding character in the dressing room is one thing. Now, the team has to pull it back together on the ice. See 'We...' on pg. 12 Continued from pg. 4 "We just haven't found the success that we're very capable of," the coach said. "We've had our ups and downs during the year." One particular down came as Flin Flon lost 10-2 to the La Ronge Ice Wolves on home ice earlier this season. Following that game, the Maroon and White were in full force as they headed into the SJHL Showcase with an eight-game undefeated streak. "...nobody would have guessed we wold go into the Showcase [like that]," said the coach. Talking with NHL scouts, Reagan was told the Bombers were placed among the top three in their league. Knowing full well that the team has the potential to succeed, Reagan says now is the time to prove it. "We haven't had the success that we thought we would, but this team is very capable of doing it," said the former Bomber. "I think that we're going to surprise a lot of people. It just comes down to us believing in each other and getting on a little bit of a role." Awards Captain Fox and goaltender PJ Musico were the top winners that night as they both took home two awards. Fox earned recognition as the Outstanding Local Player Ð an award in Bobby Clarke's name Ð as well as the Flin Flon Bombers' Most Popular Player award. Musico earned his nods with the RBC 3 Star award and as the Most Valuable Player Ð which was handed to him by longtime Bomber fan Johnny (Dougs) Dougall. The following awards were handed out: Diane Krokosz Memorial Award - Most Gentlemanly Player: Brett Penner Flin Flon Junior Bombers - Most Popular Player: Ryan Fox Howard Fox Courier Award - Mr. Hustle: Riley Storzuk LaValley Artworks - Academic Award: Cam Blair Creighton Furniture & Appliance Centre - Defensive Player of the Year: David Roper Royal Bank - 3 Star Award: PJ Musico Paddy Ginnell Memorial Fund - Most Improved: Jonathan Young Nick Oklobdzija - Rookie of the Year: Dillan McCombie Darcy Bancroft Memorial Award, Best Defenceman: Tanner Korchinski Northern Bus Lines - Most Valuable Player: PJ Musico Chicken Chef - Unsung Hero: Tyler Mah Pat Spiller Memorial Trophy - Leading Goal Scorer: Andrew Johnston George Leel Memorial Fund - Most Points* Burkee's Sports Lounge - MVP of Playoffs* * Awards are to be handed out following the end of the season. Due to technical difficulties, The Reminder's photos from the awards banquet have been lost.2/28/2011
