The Flin Flon Bombers ended the regular season with a thorough dismantling of their closest rivals.
Game 58 for the Bombers went into the books as a 8-3 win against the La Ronge Ice Wolves.
Last-place La Ronge went into the offseason with a whimper, giving up four goals in the first period. Midget callup Matt Flodell opened the scoring with a slick play three minutes in. Dawson McKenzie got in on the fun shortly afterward. Caleb Moretz and Ethan Daniels also pumped pucks past La Ronge netminder Jordan Frey.
La Ronge got on the board in the second period, with Mitch Zambon getting his ninth goal of the year on a nifty passing play. After Rob Johnson got his 14th of the season a minute later to make it a 5-1 game, Shane Hounsell put one top corner on Bomber goalie Colten Lancaster to bring La Ronge within three. Dawson Boehm, the younger brother of ex-Bomber Brett Boehm, scored on another shot that fluttered over Lancaster and in late in the period.
After the third period started, the tide turned back for the Bombers. Johnson got his second of the night, with Brandson Hein getting on the board shortly afterward. Mason Martin added a late goal, his third of the season, to finish the night's scoring.
Lancaster will get credit for the win, making 31 saves on 34 shots. Backup Niklas Anderson replaced him late in the third and made seven saves himself. Frey had a rough night in the La Ronge crease, making 44 saves.
La Ronge captain Tanner Brewster was ejected in the third period for a late check on Flin Flon's Dylan Burton. Brewster, a 19-year-old right winger, ended his season with a five minute major for boarding and a ten minute misconduct, jeering at Bomber fans on his way to the dressing room.
The Bombers will now play the Notre Dame Hounds in the SJHL wildcard series, playing their first game on Mar. 11 at home. Game two will be played on Mar. 13 in Wilcox, with the Hounds playing host. If needed, a third and final game would be held on Mar. 14 on Notre Dame's home ice.
In four meetings this season, the Bombers and Hounds are 2-2, with the Hounds outscoring 14-10 in those games.
