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.
The following is a match up between the Flin Flon Bombers and the Melfort Mustangs, who begin the playoffs tonight in the Whitney Forum. Goal As the SJHL playoffs get into full swing, the Bombers may have the best goaltender in the Itech Conference in 1989 Matt Weninger (Lethbridge AB). Weninger went 13-12-2 with 3.12-GAA and .902-SPCT; but the numbers don't tell the true story. Weninger gives Flin Flon all-star level netminding. Last year, he established an SJHL rookie record for consecutive scoreless minutes played and he enters the playoffs riding two shutouts in a row. Behind him is the unheralded, but highly effective 1989 Ryan Kerpan. Kerpan is 9-0-1 in his last 10 starts (ironically, since Weninger was acquired) with a 2.79-GAA and .904-SPCT. He didn't garner much attention, but 1988 David Tetrault (Red Deer AB) pulled the Mustangs out of an early season black hole when he arrived on the scene as a freebee out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He brought a veteran, calming influence to a very young team and finished the year 17-13-1 and amongst the league leaders with a 2.67-GAA and .913-SPCT. As far as goalies go, he may be the most underrated number one in the league. 1990 Jordan Washburn (Hudson Bay SK) has championship experience as a midget on his resume, so he's familiar with big games. His play improved with each passing start in the second half and the team's future is in good hands, but he'll be ready if needed in the playoffs. He finished 10-11, 3.26, .902. Defense The Bombers have a nice mix, led by highly talented 1989 D Michael Young (Calgary AB). Young can do it all. He has excellent size, reads the ice well, makes a nice first pass, and quarterbacks a powerplay with the best of them. He finished third on the team in scoring with 20 goals and 29 assists in 42 games. The physical Harley Garrioch can be a force against opposing forwards looking for a free parking space in front of Weninger and he also contributes offensively, as evidenced by his six goals and 19 assists in 41 games. 1990 Tanner Korchinski was named to the SJHL All Rookie Team, 1988 Jean-Sebastien Bergeron is a very steady puck moving blueliner, and 1989s Kevin Carpenter and Brennen Cox round out the regulars. 1990 Pat Sitko is a utility type that can play both forward and defense competently. 1989 Tommy Brown (Prince Albert SK) didn't put up the same eye popping numbers he did as a rookie, finishing with just three goals and 26 assists in 45 games. See 'MacLe...' on pg. Continued from pg. He remains an imposing threat as a powerplay quarterback. 1990 Cristopher Neurauter (Red Deer AB) is Brown's heir apparent. He scored seven goals and 15 assists in 51 games. Overall, the Melfort D is a rather anonymous cast with the likes of 1989 Harrison Tribble (Carstairs AB), who had six goals and 12 assists in 54 games, 1988 Cameron Larson (St. Albert AB), 1992 Denton King (Clayton SK) and 1990 Ethan Wigley (Edmonton AB). None of them will put up eye popping numbers, but they will play solid and physically in front of Tetrault and Washburn. Forwards Last season's scoring champion, 1988 Reid MacLeod (Teulon MB) battled his way back from injury and finished the year with 13 goals and 34 assists in 49 games. However, he still has to be considered a focal point when the Mustangs are coming up with their game plan to shut down a Bomber offense that can be high octane when it gets going. 1990 Cole Wilson (Wilcox SK) fired 22 goals and 24 assists in 37 games and would have been amongst the top half dozen in league scoring had he not missed time to his own injury problems. 1988 Josh Garneau rounds out the line, and in addition to providing point per game production (29-8-21-29), he has the experience of two SJHL championships won in Humboldt on his resume as well. Leading scorer 1988 Tommy Castonguay led the team in goals (27) and assists (44) and he will be paired with 1989 rookie Alex Lamontagne, who adapted to the SJHL rather nicely with 24 goals and 35 assists in 56 games. The energy will come from 1990 Mathieu Lecours (Sudbury ON) and 1990 Devin Mitzner. The two have excellent chemistry and are capable of popping in a big goal. Lecours had 33 points in 43 games. Mitzner lit the lamp 21 times and finished with 35 points in 50-games. Depth players the Bombers will look to include 1989 Dominic Martel, 1990 Doug McLeod, 1989 David Dykstra, 1990 Mitch Dougall, 1990 Ben Bitz, and 1990 Louis Labbe. How much of a difference maker was 1988 Mike Reich? In addition to having six goals and eight assists in 13 games, Reich helped the Mustangs go 10-3 after his January 10th arrival. It was the difference between fourth and third in the Itech Conference. He plays an 'in your face' type of game and as long as he stays disciplined, he'll be a major factor for Melfort's success up front. Fellow 1988 power forward Kyle Fraser (Russell MB) fought his way back from a broken jaw (suffered against the Bombers) and finished with 16 goals and 19 assists in 43 games. The Mustangs slid to a 3-10 mark when he didn't play. So, it is very evident these are the two main players Flin Flon must key on. In all, Melfort had only three players score more than 10 goals. One of them was rookie 1990 Deven Stillar (Sudbury ON), who was one of the best rookies in the league with 32 goals and 20 assists in 56 games. The other was relative unknown 1989 Blake Hietala (Houghton USA), who had 21 goals and 31 assists in 55 games. The Mustangs have a couple of wildcards in the form of 1989 Gary Childerhose (Altona MB), 1989 Kevin Knopp (Vernon BC), 1988 John Payne (Port Moody BC), and 1989 Eric Herbel (Bottineau USA). Childerhose had injury troubles and finished with nine goals and 18 assists in 44 games. Knopp contributed 34 points in 55 games while getting playing time in the top six with Hietala and Stillar for parts of the season. Payne (51-9-14-23) and Herbel (35-8-7-15) may also be asked to step up offensively in the event of injury or ineffectiveness by some of the other aforementioned players. 1990 Regan Nabseth, 1991 Brant Henry-Norton, 1990 Owen Roschuk, 1992 Denton King, 1988 Cam Oliphant, 1990 Ethan Wigley, and 1989 Jeff Hein provide sandpaper, grit, and depth. Team Breakdown The Bombers are one of the most interesting teams in the playoffs. It wouldn't be a shock to see them eliminated in round one nor would it be a surprise to see them advance right to the finals. They may be more of a momentum team than any other club in the playoff field. If they get on a roll, they'll be very dangerous. If not, they'll rely on Weninger to get them through the tough times. For Melfort, it was as if the team grabbed a whole new identity after Reich arrived in mid-January. He did pile up 68 penalty minutes in 13 games, so the Mustangs will want to make sure he spends more time on the ice than he does in the penalty box in order to maximize his effectiveness. When Reich and Fraser play their physical brand, everybody else on the team seems to grow an inch and the results on the scoreboard reflect as such. Without home ice advantage, it's imperative they win, at least, one game at the Whitney Forum. Special Teams Flin Flon Power Play 17.6 per cent (10th overall) Flin Flon Penalty Kill 82.3 per cent (4th overall) Melfort Power Play 18.8 per cent (7th overall) Melfort Penalty Kill 82.8 per cent (3rd overall)
