Flin Flon will see preseason hockey return a month from today. The Bombers have set their preseason schedule, including a home exhibition opener Sept. 3.
The Bombers will play seven total exhibition games before the regular season kicks off in earnest, playing three at home, three on the road and one at a neutral site.
Things will get going in Nipawin August 29 with a first game against the Hawks, followed two days later with the neutral site game, a matchup in Prince Albert against the Kindersley Klippers.
Next up will be a home-and-home set against La Ronge, first playing at the Mel Hegland Uniplex Sept. 2, then coming back to the Whitney Forum Sept. 3.
Following that, the Bombers will take on some out-of-league foes. First, the Bombers will head south to face the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard in the first of two rivalry matchups, playing the Blizzard in the Gordon Lathlin Memorial Centre Sept. 6. Then, the team will return back to the Forum for a pair of matchups - first facing the SIJHL’s Kam River Fighting Walleye for the first time in franchise history Sept. 8, then hosting the rubber match with the Blizzard Sept. 9.
The Hawks finished last year with a 17-35-0-6 record, the second-worst in the SJHL, but are eligible to return most of the team’s players from last season. Kindersley finished in ninth place, just out of the playoff race, with a 24-32-1-1 record, seven points short of eighth-seed Notre Dame. La Ronge played their way into seventh place last year, going 29-24-1-4, being eliminated in the first round by Humboldt, who would go on to be eliminated by the Bombers.
Outside the SJHL, the Blizzard finished last in the MJHL’s west division and second-last in the league with a 18-29-3-4 record.
The Fighting Walleye, playing their first full season last year, led the SIJHL with a 35-7-2-0 record before being upset in the league final by the Red Lake Miners, who were quickly eliminated in the Centennial Cup preliminary round.
The Bombers will officially open up training camp August 26. The Bombers’ regular season is currently scheduled to begin Sept. 16 at home against the Melfort Mustangs.
