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.
Rounding out the month of November, the Flin Flon Bombers took on the Nipawin Hawks in the SJHL Showcase. In the Bombers' second game of the weekend-long event, they shot down the Hawks 7-2 for the win Ð ending out their month with a solid 8-2 record. Previous to the game against the Hawks, the Bombers took on the Humboldt Broncos Thursday night. The former league champions broke the Bombers' winning streak with a 2-1 win. Bombers assistant coach Trevor Sack says the difference between the two games came from the Maroon and White's start against Nipawin. "...we came out pretty flat and couldn't find any momentum," Sack said about the Thursday's game. "The guys seemed like they didn't want to put in the effort." But it was a different story Friday against the Hawks. By the end of the first period, the Bombers were up 19-0 in shots on goal. Sack says the team came out of the gates at a much faster pace then the previous game. "The guys were moving the puck a lot quicker and getting to the puck quicker and finishing checks in the second game," he said. Finishing their checks left the team able to get to the puck more often than not. "I think it was a matter of winning a lot more battles," said the assistant coach. "It (created) a lot more turnovers by finishing our checks." Throughout the game against the Hawks, the Bombers were "very disciplined." "We stayed out of the box and when (we had) the opportunity to score, we finished Ð where Thursday we were having trouble finishing," said Sack. Scoring for the Bombers against the Hawks were captain Michael Young (Patrick Sitko, Matty Lecours) on a power play; Dominic Martel (Mike Rey, David Dykstra); Brennan Cox; Lecours (Andrew Johnston, Devin Mitzner); Lecours again (Johnston, Mitzner); Dougie McLeod (Ben Bitz, Jesse Mychan); and Mychan (Jeff Lorenz). The SJHL Showcase can be compared to a team's spring camp. It gives scouts an opportunity to see the players who are putting up the points and then decide whether they get a second look. Standing out for the Bombers were Johnston as well as Lecours and Matt Weninger. "Overall, the most comments were as a team," said Sack, noting that the comments reflected how they looked and played as a team. "Anytime you can look good as a team, players look good (to) scouts." Sack says the "guys put themselves on the radar for some opportunities." With it still being fairly early in the season, Sack says more opportunities may arise for the Bombers when they do their Southern swing in January, when they will play four games in five nights. The game against Nipawin ended November for the Bombers. They had a successful month as they walked away 8-2. Going into the month, the organization knew it was an important one. "We looked at November as a tough month," said Sack. He said "anytime you can beat the Southern Division leader two in a row and come up that strong with (your) division," it's a good month. "We're extremely happy with that." Through the month of November, the Bombers were able to build a six-game winning streak Ð their longest of the season. "It was more taking it game by game," said Sack. Humboldt's game Thursday ended a Bomber streak that would have left them with eight victories in a row, but Sack says when one streak ends, another one begins. The Bombers ended the month of November on a win and now hope to continue their success with a double-header weekend at the Whitney Forum against the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Not only will this coming weekend be important, but Sack says so will the month of December. "Our next seven (games) are against divisional opponents," he says, making note that the Bombers lead the Bauer Division by five points. He says this "is our month to put some space" between Flin Flon and the rest of the division. The Bombers and Ice Wolves face off three times this month. Sack says those games are going to be critical. "This is going to be a staple going into the January month," he said. Starting off December, all Canadian junior hockey teams are required to cut their team down to 25 carded players. Sack says head coach and GM Mike Reagan wasn't looking to make any big moves, but says the club is always open to transactions. "We like the make-up of the team and (we) think we have a team who can win it all right now," said Sack.
