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 their second double-header weekend of the season Ð this time in Flin Flon Ð and the second time the Bombers have swept the Estevan Bruins in both games. In games played Friday and Saturday, the Bombers walked away with three of a possible four points after winning the latter match-up in a shootout. Cole Wilson was the hero, scoring the final shootout goal for the 5-4 win. Head coach and GM Mike Reagan says he doesnÕt know why, but his players this year Òthrive on making me angry.Ó After a ÒhorribleÓ first period, he says the team listened and got the motivation they needed to get back into the game. During the first intermission, Reagan says a big speech on compassion and determination was what it took for the team. ÒWe get going and in the second period, we are pretty strong,Ó says the coach. For a typically high scoring team, the Bombers feed off the first goal they score. ÒWe canÕt wait for the first goal,Ó Reagan says. ÒThe guys gets involved in the game.Ó Reagan says a lot of that comes back to the fact that the team is young. The Bombers seem to be able to find their niche in the second period, but looking back at the season, Reagan says things were the opposite not that long ago. ÒWe used to start really well and fault in the second,Ó he says, noting that now, it Òtakes the guys a while to get going.Ó ÒThis team confuses me,Ó says Reagan. ÒThey are like a chameleon Ð they change all the time.Ó But with that being said, the coach says the Bombers are getting better. And part of getting better is working on all aspects of the game. Saturday night, after three rocky periods, the teams went into overtime and then a shootout with the game tied at four. ÒObviously, you want to win in regulation time, but in this case, with it being a southern team, I donÕt care,Ó Reagan says, noting that the two teams are in different conferences. ÒI enjoy shootouts. They are great for the fans and they add an element to the game.Ó Though overtime isnÕt preferred, Reagan says different teams have different philosophies when it comes to that situation. ÒSome...take the risk,Ó he says. ÒOthers look to go to the shootout for the breakaways.Ó For the Bombers, Reagan feels confident with his top three shooters, and that makes things easier for the team. ÒI know I can look down the bench and I have quite a few guys who can finish.Ó And helping the team finish was Wilson, scoring the teamÕs last goal for the win. The following is a summary from SaturdayÕs game between the Bombers and the Bruins: Twenty-one seconds was all it took for the Bruins to get on the scoresheet. Scott Doucett made his way past Matt Weninger for the first goal of the game, which held for the majority of the first period. With six minutes left on the clock, the visitors did it again. In front of almost 800 fans, the Bombers were down 2-0 Ð though it wasnÕt from a lack of trying as they had 12 shots on net. As Reagan said, a lecture after the first period got the Bombers back on track as Michael Young found the back of the net just before the 30-second mark Ð closing the scoring gap with help from Alex Lamontagne and Reid McLeod on a power play. To keep the scoring going, Harley Garrioch found the back of the net with help from Ben Bitz and Mitch Dougall seven minutes later. With the game tied at two apiece, the Bombers were hungry for the tie-breaking goal, but were unable to get it in the second period. The team fired off another 17 shots while Weninger was given 13 to deal with. The Bruins scored the tie-breaking goal in the third period, but that didnÕt stop Young from tying it up at three apiece. After accepting a pass from Devin Mitzner and Mathieu Lecours, Young scored the teamÕs third goal. And to keep the Bombers on top of things, David Dykstra, with help from Wilson and Lamontagne, found the back of the net to make it 4-3 for the Bombers. It wasnÕt enough to keep the Bruins coming back for more as the visitors planted another one past Weninger on a power play late in the third period. From there, the teams played a five-minute, four on four overtime. Neither team was able to get to the back of the net, resulting in a shootout. Both sides went through a number of shooters before Wilson sealed the deal. Each team walked away with a point, which the Bombers added to their two points from the night before Ð giving them three for the weekend. Next on the docket for the Bombers were the Nipawin Hawks in a game played last night. Coverage will appear in our Friday paper. The Hawks visited the Whitney Forum in a game of revenge. The last time the teams met, the Bombers blew them out of the water 8-1. But heading in, Reagan figured yesterdayÕs match-up would be a different game. ÒThey have made some changes and I am expecting a much tougher match. They are looking for revenge,Ó he says. Both teams, he says, would be hungry. Nipawin was looking for their points back, while the Bombers looked to improve their home record. ÒWe have a three-game home stand here,Ó says Reagan, noting that there are only three home games this month. ÒWe need to win before the road games. Our December is pretty tough,Ó says the coach.
