The race for fourth place in the SJHL just got a little tighter.
The Notre Dame Hounds stole two points from the Flin Flon Bombers this past Saturday, Jan. 30, to tie both clubs for fifth place overall.
Both teams are now one point behind the Nipawin Hawks for fourth place (excluding yesterday’s Nipawin game) and coveted home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Saturday’s game was Flin Flon’s fourth on the road in five nights. They finished the trip with four points, picking up a win, a shootout loss, an overtime loss and a regulation loss. The win came in Weyburn the previous night, as they defeated the Red Wings 4-3.
Brandon Switzer had a pair of goals on Friday, including the game-winner with 1:26 left in the third period to lead the Bombers over the Wings.
Chris Rauckman and Brett Boehm had the other goals for Flin Flon. Tyler Bell and Austin Evans both chipped in with two assists.
Rauckman’s goal was his league-leading 32nd of the season, two more than Melfort’s Travis Mayan.
Conner Slipp made 34 saves to pick up his second win of the season, with both coming against Weyburn.
Hofley returns
Simon Hofley returned to the net on Saturday, but he wasn’t able to finish the game, allowing four goals on 20 shots. He was replaced by Slipp at 1:03 of the second period, after the Hounds scored goals just 19 seconds apart to start the frame.
Slipp allowed one goal on 17 shots, but unfortunately for him it was the game-winner, coming from Ian Williams at 4:26 of the third period on the power play. It was Williams’s third goal of the game.
Brett Boehm also had a hat trick, scoring three of Flin Flon’s four goals. He now has eight goals and 19 points in just 12 games since joining the Bombers. He finished the road trip with six goals in four games.
Austin Calladine scored the other goal for Flin Flon.
After a long bus ride back and a couple days to regroup, the Bombers are back in action tonight when they host the Battlefords’ North Stars.
“We’ve just got to respond after a tough loss,” said head coach Mike Reagan. “Our focus in practice leading up will be on preventing goals. We gave up way too many goals on the road trip.”
The Stars are currently third in the Kramer Division and seventh overall, seven points behind the Bombers and Hounds.
Flin Flon and Battleford have met three times. The Stars drew first blood winning in overtime in early October, but the Bombers won back to back games in Battleford heading into the Christmas break.
