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.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer Tied at two goals apiece, the Flin Flon Bombers and Swan Valley Stampeders couldn't finish the game in overtime and were forced into a shootout. Last Friday, Sept. 7, the visiting Stampeders took the first crack but were unable to light the lamp. Ditto for the home team. The netminders took turns making saves as both teams dispatched skaters in search of a goal. It was the Stampeders who broke the Bombers down, as the Maroon and White were unable to match the goal, giving Swan Valley a 3-2 win. Starting the weekend off with a loss under their belt, the Bombers had to double up their effort up for Sunday's game against the Nipawin Hawks. 'It was a must win,' said Flin Flon head coach and GM Mike Reagan, going into Sunday's game. 'We want to have season-like circumstances and we don't want to be losing two games in a row at home, or anywhere.' With Reagan's mantra of 'good teams don't lose two in a row' in mind, the Bombers started off strong with two goals in the first period and a third goal 26 seconds into the second period. 'We looked at it as a challenge ahead of us and that it was a must win,' said the coach. 'You have to have the mental edge and get into that midseason form.' The Bombers were strong in the first two periods but let the Hawks in for the final period. '...I thought we just kind of coasted in, which you don't want to see,' said Reagan, adding that this is especially true in the preseason. 'We shouldn't be coasting to wins. At the same time, I...got a sense on the bench that we were in full control of the game.' Reagan says he wasn't 'too worried' about the game. 'It is preseason and those things are going to happen,' he said. 'That's the good thing about preseason _ you can iron out all those kinds.' Following the first period, Reagan didn't say too much to the team. 'I just told them to keep it going (and) that we had a really good first period. I was happy with the work ethic,' he said. The Bombers defeated the Hawks 3-1 in regulation _ with three power play goals. 'That was nice to see,' said the coach. 'The guys are feeling more comfortable playing together.' Reagan says he's excited for Josh Roach, who came to Flin Flon in the Andrew Johnston trade with the Humboldt Broncos. 'Roach is going to be a big part of our power play success and we want him to touch the puck as much as possible,' said Reagan. Rookies and Vets Friday night, the Bombers took on the Stampeders with a fairly even split of rookies and veterans. Sunday night, a few more veterans returned to the ice as the coaching staff worked on presenting the team that would be close to the regular season club. Injuries are leaving the Bombers pretty banged up and unable to ice the team Reagan hopes to see for the season. 'I think the main thing is being healthy going into the regular season,' said Reagan. 'It sucks to say that at this point in the year we've got to get healthy.' With preseason still underway, the Bombers have two key rookies sitting and working through injuries. With an older group of players than at this time last year, Reagan says he 'felt they picked it up pretty good' at practice and through the games. 'The learning curve isn't as big for this team,' he said. Though the Bombers have a number of returning veterans, like Dillan McCombie, Cam Blair, Riley Storzuk and Konrad Litke, there are several newcomers on the ice. 'The young guys are falling into place. You have your vets who lead by example and hopefully set the standard for the rookies,' said Reagan. The coach says he's liking how the Bombers look as a team. 'I think we are way ahead of where we were a year ago, that's for sure,' he said. OCN Last night, after The Reminder went to press, the Bombers played host to the OCN Blizzard of the MJHL for their second match-up against the team. Reagan hoped to keep the game from turning into a boxing match as can happen between two rivals. 'It's usually a different game here in Flin Flon than it is in OCN,' he said. 'I think they have a different mentality than we do here about what they want in a hockey team. We want to be built around speed and skill.' Not looking for 'team UFC,' Reagan said the Bombers are 'more focused on building a team that has a chance at winning a championship.' The coach says skill and speed are important factors in meeting that goal.
