In spite of an eight-game winning streak being snapped, the Flin Flon Bombers’ road trip last week was definitely a success.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League squad went 3-1.
The lone black mark on their record was a one-goal loss to Viterra Division-leading Weyburn Red Wings while playing their fourth game in five nights.
It was also Flin Flon’s sixth game in nine days and their sixth road contest in seven games.
“I think right now we have a lot of motivation to gain ground in the standings, so it doesn’t matter, road or at home, we’re really motivated,” Bombers forward Joel Kocur said halfway through the road trip.
The Bombers are now 26-14-0-4 on the season. They are 15-2 in their last 17 games – dating back to Dec. 1. Both losses came at the end of road trips that featured four games in five days.
Flin Flon now sits fourth in the SJHL. In the race for the Sherwood Division crown, they trail the defending SJHL champs from Melfort by only five points (61-56).
“We have our sights set on [Melfort],” Reagan said. “We know we have a real opportunity here to catch them, if not pass them.”
The Bombers are hoping to capitalize on the fact that seven of their next nine games are at the Whitney Forum.
They start things off by hosting Weyburn on Friday, Jan. 29 and La Ronge on Saturday, Jan. 30. Friday’s game has been dubbed Hockey Night in the North, and is free to attend, co-sponsored by Hudbay and the City of Flin Flon, Town of Creighton and Village of Denare Beach.
“The best part of playing for the Bombers is the atmosphere in the Whitney Forum and how the town and fans rally behind our progress and give us such great support,” defenceman Braden Lacoursiere said.
When asked about what impressed him the most with the team’s recent road trip, Flin Flon head coach Mike Reagan said, “How mentally tough we were. It can be a gruelling trip … The way that we won some hockey games was really good.”
The trip started with Flin Flon beating Nipawin, 4-3, in a shootout. Reagan said that helped the team get some momentum going into the next night, when it faced Notre Dame in Wilcox, which has been a tough place for the Bombers recently.
A 4-0 victory there, with Brenden Newton getting his second shutout of the season, was followed by a 5-1 win over Estevan. That game was tied 1-1 at the end of the first period, but Flin Flon scored three times in the second to take control.
On the final night of the trip, the Red Wings led 4-1 midway through the third period. The Bombers fought back before falling 4-3.
“As the game went on, you could see that fatigue was setting in,” Reagan said. “We didn’t give up. That was good to see.”
The Bombers’ eight-game winning streak featured five victories on the road. These included wins over Sherwood Division foes Melfort, La Ronge and Nipawin.
What has allowed the team to be so successful on the road?
“Just the confidence that we have … We believe that we can win each and every game,” Reagan said.
With the SJHL having teams throughout the province, squads must endure – like the Bombers did last week – road trips where they are playing four games in five nights. These trips can be mentally and physically draining, but they also provide important opportunities for team bonding and unique experiences.
“Just all the hockey you’re playing, you can get pretty fatigued and it can be tough on your body,” Kocur said, “but also, that being said, they’re a lot of fun, and it’s always nice to get away with the boys.”
