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.
The Survivor Series starts tonight, and it's not the TV show. It's the showdown between the Melfort Mustangs and Flin Flon Bombers. The Mustangs won the season series over the Bombers 5-3, but the Mustangs only gained their edge after winning three in a row. "We've got to shut down their top line of (Nick) Vandenbeld and (Jeff) Hajner and (Nathan) Brummit," said the Bombers leading scorer, Tyler Beachell. "Those guys have been really effective against us." The most lethal of the trio is Hajner who scored eight goals in eight games. Offensively for the Bombers, Dalton Pajak led the way in goals with seven while Beachell had five goals and 13 points. The Bombers also know the importance of special teams. "We have to stay out of the penalty box because they have a really good power play," he added. The Mustangs power play has been firing on all cylinders as they've scored 12 goals on 43 chances. That's a 28 per cent success rate and it's the best in the league. The Bombers were ranked 8th at 16 per cent. Bombers goalie Zane Kalemba echoed Beachell's statement about the power play, but took it one step further. "I think with a team like Melfort, we just have to limit the odd-man rushes they get and we'll be successful," Kalemba said. As for the top line, there's no special secret. "I think they like to be a creative line," he said. "Our top defensive line has to look to shut them down and I just got to play my game and not do anything special." Against the Mustangs Kalemba hasn't put up jaw dropping numbers, but they better those of Mustangs goalie Dustin MacDonald and David Ritz. In seven games, Kalemba posted a 3-4 record with a 4.16 GAA and .878 save percentage. Both Mustangs goalie's have winning records, but their goals against average are 4.20 for MacDonald and 4.96 for Ritz. "In any playoff in any level of hockey it can't be good, it can't be average, it's got to be great," said Bombers coach, Doug Stokes of the goaltending. "I think you'll find that whoever ends up winning this league in the end, they've had great goaltending." Despite playing a solid game against the Nipawin Hawks on Feb. 14, Kalemba's last win came against the Yorkton Terriers on Jan. 17. Kalemba said going into the new season that he doesn't feel any pressure. "It's gonna be a little nervous before all the games, but that's normal," Kalemba said. At The Palace this season where the series starts, the Bombers were 1-3, while playing .500 hockey at home.
