Jacob Delorme loves guarding the crease for the Flin Flon Bombers.
“Playing for the Bombers is something really special, for the history of the franchise, the community, and the fans,” he said. “This is what makes my time here really enjoyable.
The Bombers have to be pleased to have the 19-year-old Drummondville, Que. goaltender on maroon and white. The second-year player was third in wins in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with 18, as of Jan. 27. He has a 3.06 goals against average and a .910 save percentage.
“He has such a calm demeanor about him,” Bombers head coach Mike Reagan said. “He doesn’t get too high or too low… He doesn’t get rattled.”
Delorme has won three of his last four games. The Bombers split a home-and-home series with their Sherwood Division rivals the Nipawin Hawks last week. The Bombers sport a 27-10-5-0 record. Their 59 points in the league standings placed them behind SJHL-leading Battlefords’ 78 and ahead of third-place Yorkton’s 56.
On Friday, the Bombers took a 2-0 lead early but trailed 3-2 at the first intermission at home. Flin Flon scored four times in the second to lead 6-4 at the second intermission. The Bombers went on to post a 7-5 victory.
“We weren’t happy giving up a 2-0 lead,” Reagan said.
“Our team can be very explosive when we play the right way.”
In Nipawin, after a 1-1 first period, the Bombers were able to build leads but couldn’t sustain them. The Hawks prevailed 6-4.
“I thought (Saturday) we gave the game away, up 3-1 and 4-3 going into the third is unacceptable,” Reagan said.
“Playing with the lead has been a concern all year. It’s an area we are trying to address, which can be easier said than done.
The Bombers believe they have a strong tandem in net with Delorme and the 18-year-old Cal Schell from Burlington, Ont. The latter was acquired before the Jan. 10 national trade deadline.
“He is a very good goaltender,” Reagan said before Schell saw his first action with the team. “You can see it in practice. We are extremely excited about him.”
In regard to having two quality goaltenders, the Flin Flon bench boss said, “That’s a real positive, if they can push each other and battle for the net in a healthy way.” The Bombers can give teams different looks with the 6-foot-3, 194-pound Schell and the 6-foot, 156-pound Delorme.
Reagan said Delorme reminds him of Calvin Bartel, who played for the Bombers in 2006-2009 and went onto play in NCAA Division III. Both Bartel and Delorme are technically strong and not real active in net, the coach explained.
The Bombers know that Delorme, who Reagan praised for playing his angles well, can provide strong netminding. He was the SJHL Goaltender of the Month for January of 2019 when he won all six of his starts and posted a 1.51 goals against average and a .949 save percentage.
“When he’s on, he’s on,” Reagan said.
In Delorme’s first two seasons of minor hockey, he was not a goalie. He was drawn to the crease.
“I started playing goal at the age of seven and never looked back,” Delorme said. “I think what made me switch to goal is the fact that I liked to see the play in front of me at all times. I also really liked and still like goalie gear.”
He explained that goaltender is a unique position in the game of hockey.
“Playing goal is a really special position that no one can truly understand if you haven’t played it,” said Delorme, who noted he loves billeting with Robbie and Loraine Poirier.
“Even though hockey is a team sport, the goalie position is very unique and focused on the individual. All the mental and technical aspects of the position is what makes is so different and enjoyable for me.”
