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 brooms were out in La Ronge on Saturday, as the Ice Wolves beat the Bombers 6-2 to sweep the 10-game season series. On Friday in Flin Flon, the bounces went the way of the Wolves, as La Ronge won 8-5. It wasn't the way the Bombers wanted to end the season, but the Ice Wolves proved that they are going to be a contender in the upcoming SJHL playoffs. Friday, the Bombers jumped out to an early lead on a blast from Mackenzie Groenewegen, assisted by Fritz Sauter and Cole McLean at 1:45. Doug Exner tied the game at 3:44, but Blake Rolston's 13th of the season at 9:08 put the Bombers ahead once again. The goal was assisted by Sauter and Clayton Geiger. Unfortunately, that was the last lead the Bombers would enjoy, as the Wolves scored five unanswered goals to bury the Bombers. Doug Exner's second goal at 16:32 tied the game again, and Jeff Marshall likely set an SJHL record with a goal just four seconds later at 16:36, as Kyle Gladue won the face off ahead to Marshall who beat Francois Laverdiere with a quick shot. Exner's third of the night came at 3:48 of the second period, and Marshall's second of the game at 4:37 chased Laverdiere from the net. Laverdiere was peppered for five goals on 27 shots. Braden Olszewski got a lucky bounce goal at 7:05 to welcome Dale Pettit to the game, and then Andrew Leslie took advantage of a bounce to finally get Flin Flon back in it with a short handed goal at 14:20. Kyle Gladue's goal on the same advantage at 14:32 made it 7-3 after two periods of play. In the third period, Carter Chomyn brought the Bombers within three goals at 6:32 with a power-play marker, assisted by Leslie and Richard Dupre. Kris Desjarlais scored his 15th of the season for La Ronge at 8:07 to make it 8-4. Tyler Beachell picked up his 23rd of the year on a power play at 13:21 with assists going to Blake McCullough and Sauter. Cole McLean looked to have a goal shortly after which would have made it 8-6, but the goal was disallowed because the net had been knocked out of place. Dale Pettit allowed three goals on 22 shots in relief of Laverdiere, and Michael Pilote allowed five goals on 44 shots to earn the win. The former Bomber netminder would get the call again on Saturday night, and he proved to be even tougher to solve. The last time the Bombers played in La Ronge, Laverdiere and Pilote put on a goaltending clinic in a 2-1 game. This time around the Ice Wolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead and the Bombers never recovered. Braden Olszewski opened the scoring at 8:31, Dillon Henningson scored at 11:04, and Dustin Dubas made it 3-0 with a shot from the point at 14:36. Cole McLean scored a goal in his last junior hockey game to give the Bombers something to build off of in the second period. The goal at 17:46 was a power-play goal, assisted by Bradyn McCullough and Blake McCullough. The enforcer McLean finished the season with three goals and 336 penalty minutes in 49 games played. Richard Dupre's goal at 13:02 of the second frame made it a 3-2 game. The goal was assisted by Carter Chomyn and Blake Rolston. That was as close as the Bombers would get, as the Wolves would pick up three more goals to end the final night of the regular season for both teams. Tanner Shultz scored on a power play at 14:04 of the second to make it 4-2 after 40 minutes of play, and the Wolves would add goals from Doug Exner and Henningson in the third period at 9:28 and 11:19 respectively. Things got out of hand at 17:49 as Cole McLean went over to the La Ronge player bench to have words with Drew Rose. Rose has been a thorn in the side of the Bombers, specifically McLean since the Christmas break. See 'Awards' P.# Con't from P.# Rose hasn't been able to back up his mouth, however, citing a sore hand. Tanner Shultz wasn't afraid to show his true colours, jumping McLean from behind as the rest of the La Ronge bench grabbed him and held him back. The SJHL's media person of the year, Bomber broadcaster Rob Hart, had the best viewpoint in the house as the broadcast booth is directly above the La Ronge bench. He gave a vivid description of the attack, and was shocked when the La Ronge assistant coach punched McLean in the face and grabbed his jersey to hold him back. McLean's helmet popped off and into the La Ronge bench, and the Ice Wolves destroyed it before tossing it back on the ice, ripping it apart piece by piece. All of the players involved in the scrum received double-minor penalties and were removed from the game. The final two minutes were played without incident, closing the book on Flin Flon's 2004/05 season. Flin Flon finished the season with a 10-36-6-3 record after 55 games, the shortest season in SJHL history. Record books The year will be etched into the record books in three categories: least wins (10), least goals scored (138) and least penalty minutes (2046). It is the third time in the last four years that the Bombers have won only 10 games. However, they did finish off with two wins, two losses and an overtime loss in their last five games. Cole McLean and Francois Laverdiere are the only two players who will be graduating from the program, although coach Ryan Hoffman has said that not all of the players eligible to return will start the season next year. The Bombers do have a good crop of players with a year of experience under their belts, which should make for an interesting off season with some of the top prospects from Midget 'AAA' coming to Flin Flon's camp in the fall. Before Friday's game, a number of presentations were made by governor Dan Reagan. Tyler Beachell picked up two awards from the SJHL. He was named the SJHL's Bayer Crop Science Rookie of the Year, as well as named to the SJHL's All-rookie team. Rob Hart was presented with the SJHL's Media Person of the Year award. The Bombers also made a special presentation to Todd Simms, who was refereeing his final SJHL game.2/21/2005
