In dumping the Nipawin Hawks 5-2 on Tuesday, the Flin Flon Bombers clinched fifth place overall and a date with the Notre Dame Hounds in the SJHL quarter-finals.
As the losers, the Hawks finished in sixth place and will take on the Melville Millionaires when the quarter-finals begin next weekend.
Flin Flon’s power play was the difference in this game, scoring three times on six chances. Nipawin managed one goal on five opportunities with the man advantage.
Nipawin opened the scoring on a goal by Zach Bross just 1:37 after the opening faceoff. Austin Evans tied things up just 13 seconds later, and Brandon Switzer put the Bombers in front with a power play goal with 35 seconds left in the opening frame.
Switzer made it a 3-1 game with his 13th of the season just three minutes into the second. Eric Bolden brought the Hawks within one goal three minutes into the third period, but that was as close as they would come.
Chris Rauckman netted his 39th of the year on the power play early in the third, and Tyson Empey rounded out the scoring at 13:35 of the final period of the regular season.
One less goal
Rauckman finished one goal behind Melfort’s Travis Mayan for the SJHL goal-scoring title.
Simon Hofley picked up his 19th win of the season, outdueling Nipawin's Joe O'Brien.
It was Flin Flon's 20th win on home ice this season. The Bombers only lost four games in regulation at the Whitney Forum. The only team with fewer home ice losses was the Melfort Mustangs, who lost twice at home.
Overall, the Bombers finished with a record of 31-13-6-6, good enough for 74 points and second place in the Sherwood Division.
“We’re proud of the hockey club,” said head coach Mike Reagan. “The guys put in a lot of hard work. It’s a long season and you go through ups and downs throughout the year. At the end of the year, you hope you are playing your best hockey.”
The Bombers end the season on a high note, winning four of their last five games, including the final two contests.
They will now face the Hounds at the conclusion of the wild card round. The Bombers and Hounds split their season series 2-2.
The SJHL’s wild card series will see Weyburn take on Humboldt and Battlefords battle Estevan. That will determine whom Melfort and Kindersley take on in the quarter-finals.
The two other quarter-final series are set, with Flin Flon facing off against Notre Dame and Nipawin taking on Melville.
