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.
Another weekend, and another pair of losses for the Flin Flon Bombers. They were in Melville on Friday night, where they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Millionaires, but the wheels fell off again on Saturday, where they were blanked 8-0 by the Yorkton Terriers. The 8-0 pounding was their eighth consecutive loss. On Friday night, the Bombers nearly played good enough to win but couldn't find a way to beat goaltender Jamie Langen, other than Joey Moggach's fourth goal of the season to open the scoring at 3:13 of the third period. The Moggach goal was assisted by Fritz Sauter and Clayton Geiger, who has been the most offensive player on the team so far this season with 10 points in 12 games. Unfortunately, Francois Laverdiere couldn't keep the door shut forever, and the Millionaires were able to score twice before the end of regulation time to take the win. Adam Thordarson scored at 6:15 from Dedrick Klassen and Bear Trapp, and Trapp scored the game-winning goal at 18:56 with Thordarson and Kai Magnussen assisting. The Bombers played most of the game without Andrew Skrabek, who was ejected for checking from behind in the first period. It was a relatively calm game, with only four penalties called. Both teams were scoreless on two power play chances. Laverdiere made 39 saves in the loss, while Langen stopped all but one of the 36 shots he faced. Saturday night was an altogether different story. The Terriers scored four power-play goals and a shorthanded goal, embarrassing the Bombers 8-0 during their only visit to Yorkton this season. Perry Faul opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 8:59 of the first period. Justin Menke made it 2-0 with an even strength goal at 10:06, and Lance Herauf's power-play goal at 14:05 made it 3-0. The Terriers netted three more goals in the second period. Craig Straightnose scored his first goal of the season, short handed after stripping a Bomber defenceman and walking in all alone. Craig Korchinski's first of the night came at 5:13 of the second period, spelling the end of the night for Laverdiere, who allowed five goals on 18 shots. A Cole McLean fight at centre ice with Chris Budnick sparked the Bombers, who came to life for the rest of the second period. However, Korchinski picked up his second of the game at 18:30 to give the Terriers a 6-0 lead heading into the dressing room. In the third period, Herauf scored his second goal of the game at 9:36 on the power play, and Korchinski earned the hat trick with a power-play goal at 10:47. It was his 10th goal of the season. Michael Pilote allowed three goals on 16 shots in relief of Laverdiere. The Bombers were out shot 34-19 in the game, and failed to score a power-play goal on five chances, including a double-minor, while the Terriers were near perfect, scoring four power-play goals on five chances. The Bombers are now 1-12-1-1, and are fading fast from the playoff picture, as both the Melfort Mustangs and Battlefords North Stars are on winning streaks after making some key changes. The Mustangs are on a five-game winning streak after making a coaching change, and now sit eight points ahead of the Bombers in the ITECH Conference. In Battleford, a goaltending switch has enabled the team to win two straight, and the North Stars are six points ahead of the Bombers for the final playoff spot in the SJHL. Both teams have one game in hand over the Bombers as well. Fans in Flin Flon are losing patience, as the team is dangerously on pace for a record-setting losing season. At the current pace, the Bombers would win just four games this season. You can't blame defence or offence, because both have been equally substandard. The team has scored only 25 goals, the lowest total in the league, and is on pace to score 92 goals this season. Their current record for fewest goals in a season was 168 in 2002-03, still fresh in the mind of most Bomber fans. At the same time, the Bombers are averaging nearly five goals against per game. Flin Flon will begin a seven-game home stand starting this weekend with a pair of games against the Kindersley Klippers. This may be the last chance for Flin Flon to gain some ground on their opponents, as after this, the Bombers will have played 22 games. They can't afford to lose much more ground in the standings.
