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.
It was a tough reality for the Flin Flon Bombers as the Humboldt Broncos scored in the second overtime of Game 5 in the North finals to win the series. The Bomber hockey season was over. In a do-or-die situation with three games against them in the finals, the Bombers needed the Friday night win to advance to Game 6 on home ice. But the hockey gods saw the Broncos claim the series and advance to the SJHL finals with a 2-1 win in their own barn. 'It's frustrating as a coach and as a team to know that you're that close and (that) we just couldn't get the timely goals when we needed them,' said head coach and GM Mike Reagan. In the dressing room after the game, as reality sunk in, the coach said there were mixed feelings. 'It's a huge let down. I think there was a lot of shock in our dressing room,' Reagan said about the season ending, though he made it clear he had no disappointment in the team. 'I think there was a lot of heartache. You could see it on the players faces,' said the coach. 'Believe' is a big word in the Bomber dressing room, Whitney Forum, and overall Maroon and White atmosphere. It's something that followed the Bombers from Home Opener through to Friday night. 'I think they truly believed that we could win this year and that they truly wanted to.' As coach of the Bombers for six seasons now, Reagan says the end to this season was like no other he had experienced. 'These guys...believed they could win and SJHL championship,' he said. 'This team wanted to win, they worked at it, and they sacrificed to win. That's all you can ask for,' he said. 'Not one person can question the commitment that these guys made in the playoffs or be disappointed in the effort this team put forth,' Reagan said proudly. 'It was exciting hockey and our guys played fantastic.' Traveling home Friday night after Game 5 in the North Finals was a tough pill to swallow for the team, as they knew it was their last time on the ice together as the 2012-13 Bombers. 'This one hurts, a lot,' said Reagan. 'When you commit so much of your life to one thing and you come up short and you believe that you have (the) opportunity, it's gut wrenching.' As a former Bomber, the coach knows the feeling from both a player's and a bench boss' point of view. 'I think this is going to take a long time to heal. That's for sure,' he said quietly. Reagan gave credit to both his team and the Broncos. 'Both teams played extremely hard. We...unfortunatley didn't get the bounces. 'I really believe that we deserve to still be playing,' he said. 'It's tough, but that's the way hockey goes sometimes.' When dealing with any devastation, Reagan says the best thing to do is to keep busy. Reagan will begin recruiting players for the 2013-14 season tomorrow. 'It's just too hard right now just to sit there and think about it. I try not to think about it, but it's real hard right now.' Although he is disappointed that the 2012-13 season is over for the Maroon and White, Reagan says there is no disappointment in the team itself. '...all in all, I'm proud of the guys, my boys, of what they accomplished,' he said. 'There is no reason for them to hang their heads.' Though Reagan himself knows it is easier said that done, the commitment, effort, and dedication shown on the ice night in and night out proved itself with the close games. 'I do still think we deserved a better fate. I think that this series should still be going to a Game 7,' he said. Support The Flin Flon Bombers received big support from fans and the community this year _ more so than in past years, it seemed. 'It was good to see the passion in people again about the Bombers,' said Reagan. 'It's the first time that people have believed that we could win. See 'Coach' on pg. 4 Continued from pg. 'And that's a credit to all the guys and the hard work that they put in,' he said. Already looking ahead, he said, 'it's our goal and our job to get back to that next year.' As coach since the 2007-08 season and a former Bomber himself, Reagan knows how the Whitney Forum can get. But this season was different. 'I think one of the biggest highlights of the (season) was the atmosphere in town. I thought that the fans really jumped on board,' he said. 'The fan support was unbelievable and it was good to see the Whitney Forum rocking the way it was again.' Even outside the walls of the famed barn Bomber talk was hot. 'You really got a sense that people were passionate about this team in the playoffs,' said the coach. 'I think that's important.' But Reagan says it's more than just hockey. 'It's about having community pride and I think there was a lot of pride in this year's team. I think that hockey can bring this community together.' Flin Flon and surrounding areas proved their love of the team as the Maroon and White saw more than 1,000 fans each game cheer them on. 'It was exciting to see people's enjoyment in the games.' Reagan said he loved hearing the talk outside of the rink. '...walking around town and hearing everyone talk Bomber talk _ I think that's important and we hope that next year we can continue that,' said the coach. Keeping Busy The Flin Flon Bomber organization is keeping busy during this hard reality of the end of the season. Reagan will start recruiting tomorrow for the 2013-14 season. '...we've got to meet with some players and families and convince them that Flin Flon is a good place to go,' he said. The Bombers will continue to sit strong with eligible players for the next season. 'One of the things we've talked to the guys about is we're not rebuilding this team, we're retooling (it). '...we (will) lose certain pieces and we just have to find those pieces to the puzzle and put it back together rather than starting over,' said the coach, confident in the upcoming season. Both Bomber goaltenders Devin Buffalo and Brandon Wildung are eligible to return next season. 'When you've got guys like...Buffalo and...Wildung...your goaltending is strong. You've got to like your chances,' said Reagan. The Bombers will see strong goaltenders eligible to return as well as a good defensive core. 'Yeah, we lose a guy like Josh Roach, but we've got six other guys eligible to return,' he says. The Bombers will see most of their forwards disappear, but Reagan says there are pretty good guys able to return. 'We (will) lose some size so we're definitely going to have to go after bigger, tougher players that are going to be tougher to compete against,' Reagan said. Though the end of the season is still fresh in the coach's eyes, the reality of next season is fast approaching. 'Hopefully it all works out,' he said, before offering a few final words. 'Thanks to all the fans for their support and we can promise we're going to try and put ourselves in a good position to win next year,' he said, adding 'if I'm still coaching' with a half chuckle. 'We'll see.'
