Somebody call a doctor: Bomber Fever is sweeping Flin Flon and area.
As they enter the semi-finals tonight, the Flin Flon Bombers are sparking a level of community excitement not seen in years.
“Crazy, crazy atmosphere. Love it,” says long-time fan Damian Dominey, describing the Whitney Forum for the Bombers’ two home playoff dates so far.
Dominey says this year’s post-season run has a different feel than in years past. To him, it’s reminiscent of the 1993 championship run he watched as a kid.
“It’s bringing back memories,” he says.
Travis Rideout, another loyal fan, agrees that this year’s edition of the Bombers has something special.
“I’m always excited come playoff time, especially last year when we had a chance to win it, but this year is different,” he says. “There’s a different feel to this team. They want it and you can tell. As a long-time fan it makes you appreciate their hard work.”
Kelly Jacobson, who has seldom missed a Bomber game in the last two years, says lately she has noticed many unfamiliar faces in the Whitney Forum stands – a trend she hopes will continue.
She says the Bombers’ playoff run has been great for the community.
“It brings hope, it brings spark, it brings the community out together,” says Jacobson, a fan who also takes game photos for The Reminder.
Helping to galvanize and grow the Bombers’ fan base was the now-infamous moose leg incident of March 23. It saw a visiting player attempt to steal the severed animal appendage tossed onto the Whitney ice in celebration.
The moose leg has become a rallying point for fans, with t-shirts, window murals and a towel to be given out at Tuesday’s home game warning Bomber adversaries: “Don’t mess with the moose leg.”
“The whole moose leg thing has shown that we don’t need a contest to know we’re Hockeyville,” says Rideout, referring to Flin Flon’s unsuccessful bid to win the Kraft Hockeyville campaign. “The town has really gotten behind the team.”
Dean Rainville, who saw the moose-leg-inspired-brawl in person (rather than in the viral video of the incident), called it a memorable night.
“It was a fun time and it’s probably going to bring more people out to watch [the Bombers] as they continue on,” he says.
Their defence of the moose leg tradition aside, Rainville is impressed with this year’s Bombers. He says the team plays a physical game while handling and passing the puck with ease.
Asked for his prediction of how far the squad can go, Dominey didn’t hold back: “I think they can go all the way. They can do it.”
Jacobson, whose nephew is Bombers winger Joel Kocur, is equally optimistic.
“I think the team has got the talent, the skill, the will and above all they have heart and soul,” she says. “I think this year could be the year that they succeed. There’s not one star per se on the team. The whole team as one unit is the star.”
Over at Flin Flon City Hall, Mayor Cal Huntley has been showing his support for the Bombers in a very public way. He announced he will wear a Bomber jersey to council meetings as long as the team is alive in the post-season.
If the Bombers’ recent performance and fan predictions are any indication, the mayor will be sporting maroon and white for some time yet.
