It took a little overtime to do it, but the Flin Flon Bombers earned a big win Saturday night.
The maroon and white took two points in a 4-3 OT thriller against the divisional rival Nipawin Hawks.
Flin Flon came out of the gate hot, scoring two goals in the first four minutes of the game. Daylan Marchi and Nate Hooper each added the goals. New Bomber defenseman Alex Lindstrom, playing his first game with the team after being traded from Alberta, got his first SJHL assist on Marchi's goal.
The Hawks would not be denied for long. Kenzie Arnold tallied for Nipawin midway through the first period, with his older brother Brandan tying the game in the second period.
Ethan Daniels wrestled the lead back for Flin Flon with a third period goal, but Nipawin's Chad McCartney tied the game back up minutes later. A frame of 3-on-3 overtime was needed.
It was Flin Flon defenseman Calvon Boots who ended the game with a bar-down beauty 3:35 into OT, getting the Bombers their first overtime win of the season.
Bomber starter Colten Lancaster, playing his first game after being traded to Flin Flon from B.C., made 39 saves for the win. Hawks netminder Jake Anthony made 38 stops in a losing effort.
Assistant coach Garry Childerhose assumed the head coach's reins for Saturday's game, taking the place of Bomber head coach and GM Mike Reagan. Reagan is away from the team at training camp for Team Canada West, preparing for the World Junior A Challenge later this month.
Bomber top scorer Chrystopher Collin, who is also at Team Canada West camp, did not dress for the Bombers Saturday night. The team was missing several regulars, including team captain Ben Lanfermann, defender Doug Johnson, forwards Jordan McCausland and Tyler Nyman and goalie Brenden Newton. According to the SJHL's official game sheet, the Bombers won despite only dressing sixteen skaters.
The win brings the Bombers to 22 points on the season, putting them third in the Sherwood division - well behind both the second-place Hawks (with 40 points) and league-leading Melfort (43 points).
A rematch between the Hawks and Bombers will be played at Nipawin's Centennial Arena on Dec. 5. After that, Flin Flon will play host to the Humboldt Broncos on Dec. 8 and 9 before heading on a four-game road trip before the holiday break.
