The Flin Flon Bombers have ended the regular season, finishing up the 58-game slate with a 2-0 loss in Melfort.
The Bombers, missing several regulars and suiting up a trio of midget callups, were unable to generate much offence on the night, with Melfort goalie Shawn Parkinson shutting them down at every opportunity. A second period goal by Alex Rondeau and a late third period marker by Tian Rask ended up being the only offence on the evening.
Jacob Delorme made 31 saves in the season finale, while Parkinson made 29 saves in a shutout.
It was the first - and only - time this season that the Bombers were shut out, handing the Mustangs a commanding 5-1 win the season series with the Bombers. The win gives Melfort the third seed in the upcoming playoffs, leapfrogging La Ronge and advancing over Yorkton via the tiebreaker - regulation and overtime wins. Melfort finishes the season tied with Yorkton with 73 points, but Melfort had 31 victories in either regulation or overtime, compared to Yorkton's 30.
The game's result hammers home most of the SJHL's first round playoff matchups. Melfort will play sixth-place Estevan and have home ice advantage, while La Ronge, now dropping to fifth in the league, will face fourth seed Yorkton. The Terriers will have home ice.
Two playoff matchups are still unknown. Both the first-place Battlefords Stars and the second-place Bombers are yet to have confirmed dance partners. The two teams will either face Nipawin or Humboldt in the first round, depending on the result of the Broncos' March 3 game against Melville. A Humboldt win will mean a Bombers-Broncos series, while a loss will mean a series between Flin Flon and Nipawin.
Games 1 and 2 of the Bombers' first round series will take place March 6 and 7 at the Whitney Forum.
