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.
Out of four players the Flin Flon Bombers acquired this week, two will be in the lineup this weekend when the team tries to snap an eight game winless streak against the Kindersley Klippers. Mike Natale and Andrew Leslie arrived in town earlier this week and will see their first action this weekend. Natale is an 18-year-old, 6' defenceman from Massachusetts, who played for Antigonish in the MarJHL. "He skates pretty well, seems pretty mobile and is very, very strong," said coach Ryan Hoffman of Natale. "We'll throw him in the fire this weekend. There is only so much you can see in practice." Natale will likely play with a veteran on the blue line this weekend. Leslie, a Calgary native, found himself a victim of the numbers game in Yorkton. The Terriers had too many imports, and Leslie was the odd-man out with no points in six games. He will get a fresh start with the Bombers this weekend. Unfortunately, neither player acquired Tuesday from the La Ronge Ice Wolves in exchange for Keith Spencer has reported. Defenceman Dan McIlwain has so far refused the deal outright, while Donovan Hall has been in contact with Hoffman, but is reluctant to report. As 20-year-olds, neither player can be too excited about being moved from a playoff contender to a cellar-dweller. Should the players decide not to report, Hoffman has a couple of options. He can either move the players to another team, or suspend them and end their season. Either way, they likely won't be in the lineup this weekend when the Bombers entertain the Kindersley Klippers. "After the effort we had in Yorkton on Saturday, first thing first, we have to have a good game on Friday and get some points," said Hoffman. "We didn't compete in Yorkton, from the goaltender right out to every forward we had. We need to compete with a sense of urgency before things get away on us." Things are rapidly slipping away on Flin Flon, as both the Melfort Mustangs and Battlefords' North Stars have been winning hockey games lately. Since acquiring goaltender Dustin MacDonald, the North Stars are 3-0-1. They doubled up the Kindersley Klippers 4-2 on Wednesday night, and Kindersley is now on a three-game losing streak as they make their way to the Whitney Forum tonight. The Melfort Mustangs are now 6-4 in their last 10 games, after starting the season with five losses. Flin Flon remains in the basement of the ITECH Conference with a record of 1-12-1-1, eight points out of a playoff spot. Once again, the Bombers find themselves in virtually a must-win situation in October, as they start a seven-game home stand. Flin Flon could use five or six wins out of those seven games, but it won't be easy, as they will start with two games against Kindersley this weekend, and follow up with two games against the red hot North Stars the following weekend. Catch all the action at the Whitney Forum this weekend. Game time on Friday and Saturday is 7:30 p.m.
