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.
Heading in tied for first place in the Bauer Conference, the Bombers and North Stars faced off for top spot last Friday. With 13 points each, both teams were looking to move ahead of the other, but it was Battleford that was able to walk away with a 2-1 shootout win. In the past, the Bombers have not had success in the first period, but this time the Maroon and White were on their game early. A goal from Dominic Martel, with help from Alex Lamontagne and David Dykstra, put the Bombers in the lead after the 10-minute mark. Carrying the lead through until late in the third period, head coach and GM Mike Reagan says the team really came together. "We knew there was a lot on the line," Reagan said in reference to the first-place conference tie. "Both teams were pretty motivated to play the game that night," he said. Coming out with a goal fairly early on, Reagan was happy with the team's effort. But it wasn't just the first period that was good for the Bombers. "Honestly...it was one of the best games I've ever been involved in," said the coach, who began his third season as bench boss this year. Reagan says the hockey was fast and both ends were played well. "Both (teams) played very well,"he said. Though they kept the lead until close to the end of regulation, Reagan says the Bombers missed a few opportunities Ð ones that could have given them the win. Going 0-5 on the power play and then 1-8 the next night in Humboldt, the Bombers were spending time practicing their power play in hopes to strengthening a big part of their game. Looking back over the season so far, as short as it has been, Reagan says his team has been playing well of late. He says ever since returning from their southern swing, where they went 2-1-1, the Bombers have been playing good hockey. "We seem to come together as a team and I think it's a matter of us feeling confident right now," he says. The Game With the score tied at 1-1, neither the Bombers nor the North Stars were able to get another goal in the overtime. The game then went to a shootout with the following results: Battleford shooter Blake Peake - goal Battleford shooter Brett Miller - goal Battleford shooter Boyd Wakelin - save Battleford shooter Myles Cameron - save Flin Flon shooter Dykstra - save Flin Flon shooter Mathieu Lecours - goal Battleford shooter Josh Daley - save Flin Flon shooter Lamontagne - save Flin Flon shooter Devin Mitzner - save Flin Flon shooter Michael Young - save
