Wins and scholarships will be on the line for the Flin Flon Bombers and their league brethren at the upcoming SJHL Showcase.
This year at the annual event, each of the league’s 12 teams will play two games in front of scouts from various leagues and levels of hockey.
While players want to impress scouts, the games count in the SJHL regular season standings, so team victories are also important. The Showcase runs Oct. 4 to 7 in Warman.
When asked what he is looking forward to most about the Showcase, Bombers forward Brandon Switzer said, “Just the opportunity to play in front of scouts and coaches from schools from all over and the exposure it brings.”
Before departing for the SJHL Showcase, the Bombers are hoping to earn their first win of the season when they host the Battlefords North Stars this Saturday, Oct. 3.
After dropping a pair to Melfort (2-1) and Humboldt (4-3) last week, Flin Flon is 0-3-0-1.
Bombers head coach and general manager Mike Regan said while this was not the start the team was hoping for, there is no panic.
“We will be better,” said Reagan, whose squad got away for some team bonding at Denare Beach’s Rocky View BnB over the weekend. “We have a full week of practice here. There are some areas that we will focus on.”
A key area Reagan wants to correct involves taking penalties at crucial times. Flin Flon has led in the third period in three of its four games and held a lead in all four.
On Friday, the Bombers outshot Humboldt by an impressive 41-20 margin. However, undisciplined penalties, often by experienced players, have hurt the team, Reagan said.
“It is almost as if we are finding ways to lose right now,” said Reagan, who noted players are being held accountable, including running hills and being pulled from the lineup.
At the SJHL Showcase, Flin Flon will play Weyburn this Monday, Oct. 5 and Notre Dame the next day.
For the past couple of seasons, the event has featured some players from each of the league’s teams competing on age-group-based squads. While that allowed scouts to watch top players, it did leave some SJHLers at home.
This year entire teams will compete. It is a format that Switzer was a part of for the last two years in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and likes.
“I think that this year some guys will benefit from it more because there is four points on the line for their team and schools want to see team play, not just individual play like you would get if guys were split up,” said Switzer, who played his first season and half of junior hockey with Whitecourt of the AJHL.
Reagan also likes the format of this year’s Showcase, saying there is “probably a little more comfort” for players when they share the bench with their usual teammates.
This “will allow them to play well and to showcase their skills,” he said.
The SJHL Showcase has attracted an average of 70 scouts for the past couple of years.
“The Showcase allows the scouts from the NHL, WHL, NCAA and other leagues to be able to see all of our teams’ rosters over a short period of time,” SJHL President Bill Chow said. “With all of the tournaments at different levels of hockey that occur, this could be the only opportunity some of the scouts have the time to see players in the SJHL.”
Box Score
Flin Flon 3 Humboldt 4 Friday, Sept. 25 at Flin Flon1st: No Scoring.
Penalties: Pesch Hmbt (slashing), 0:59; Cohan Flfl (interference), 3:36; Ruschkowski Hmbt (slashing), 7:57; Lacoursiere Flfl (boarding ), 16:25.
2nd: 1, Hmbt, Thompson 1 (Kostelansky), 7:48. 2, Flfl, Kocur 1 (Switzer, Shumlanski), 9:33. 3, Flfl, Roach 1 (Webb, Smith), 11:19 (PP)
Penalties: Cohan Flfl (high sticking), 3:07; Dambrauskas Hmbt (clipping), 5:35; Kortko Hmbt (tripping), 10:14; Webb Flfl (slashing), 19:47.
3rd: 4, Hmbt, Kortko 1 (Posch, Roberts), 3:25. 5, Hmbt, Kortko 2 (Posch, Roberts), 7:06. 6, Flfl, Switzer 3 (Roach, Smith), 15:13 (PP). 7, Hmbt, Pesch 1 18:17.
Penalties: St.Onge Flfl (roughing after whistle ), 7:06; Bergen Hmbt (tripping), 7:43; Moro Hmbt (charging, roughing), 13:50; Kocur Flfl (roughing), 13:50; Cohan Flfl (hooking), 16:17; Roach Flfl (boarding ), 18:35.
Shots: Humboldt 5-6-9-20.
Flin Flon 12-16-13-41.
Power play: Hmbt 0/7. Flfl 2/6.
Goalies: Humboldt, Clark 2-0-0-0 (41 shots/38 saves). Flin Flon, Robidoux 0-3-0-1 (20 shots/16 saves).
Attendance: 647
Referees: Adam Bloski
Linesmen: Calvin Schnieder,
Brennan Hall
