In his final season, Cole Rafuse would love to help the Flin Flon Bombers win a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship.
“It would be really nice to end my career in junior hockey with a winning season,” said the Harmony, N.S. product before the end of the regular season. “That’s what everyone hopes going into every year, especially their final one. It would really cap off my junior hockey career with a win. Looking forward to the final few games and playoffs to get going.”
Rafuse, who turned 21 in January, is one of eight Bombers in their 20-year-old season. As of The Reminder’s deadline, they had helped the Bombers post a 36-14-7-0 regular season record. Flin Flon had locked up the second seed for the postseason with only a Monday night tilt against Melfort left to play before deadline. Depending on the outcome, Melfort could end up as the third, fourth, or fifth seed in the SJHL playoffs.
“(Monday) will be tough,” head coach and general manager Mike Reagan said.
“The game means nothing to us and everything to Melfort. We are going to get a few young guys in the lineup and rest a few guys.”
Last week, the Bombers fell 4-3 to the La Ronge Ice Wolves Friday. At home Saturday night, Flin Flon rallied from a 2-0 second period deficit and trailed 3-1 in the third, but lost 4-3 in overtime.
“I think right now our guys are so focused on the playoffs that it’s been tough to get them interested in these last games of the season,” Reagan said.
“I thought we played solid, but we didn’t have the second effort that’s required to win at this time of the season.”
The Bombers’ 20-year-olds have certainly been important to the team’s successful regular season. Six of Flin Flon’s top nine scorers are in their final junior campaign. However, the players about to age out bring far more than just point production to the team.
“Your 20-year-olds need to be the guys that toe the line,” head coach Mike Reagan said. “They need to be an extension of the staff and buy into how the team is being run. If you don’t have 20-year-olds that believe, you won’t go anywhere. We have a great group of 20s that are motivated to win.”
Rookie defenceman Adam Victorino said that all of the 20-year-olds – not just those wearing a letter – have provided leadership.
“It’s a fairly diverse group,” he said. “Some are three-year veterans, some have major junior backgrounds and some have experience both in the SJ and in other leagues across Canada. I think that adds a lot of value to the group, especially down the stretch and into playoffs.”
“Personally, I’ve enjoyed their experience and advice when it comes to handling different forms of adversity. Every season teams get thrown different obstacles whether it be injuries, win droughts or whatever else. Having a group of leaders to hold guys accountable and maintain the focus goes a long way.”
Defenceman Dane Hirst has split his four-year junior career between three teams in two leagues. One of the team’s 20-year-olds, the Lac du Bonnet, Man. product said he has enjoyed the personalities and closeness of this group.
“On the ice, I think we have a very talented group, but that’s not everything,” Hirst said. “Off the ice, the 20s need to be leaders and role models and I think we have that. Every single one is a great guy off the ice along with their on-ice talent, which is what we need going forward. Along with that, everyone gets along very well on and off the ice. I definitely wouldn’t want to spend my last year in juniors with any other group.”
Captain Mason Martin and Donavan Houle-Villeneuve have posted career-best numbers in their third and final seasons with the Bombers. Martin, a defenceman from Winnipeg, had 15 goals and 49 points as of March 1, after posting 19 points combined in his first two seasons. Houle-Villeneuve, a forward who hails from Montreal, had 31 goals and 67 points. There is no doubt the duo has earned the opportunity to play their final season in maroon and white.
“Most of the time, for a 20-year-old to be on the team, we like them,” Reagan said. “Nobody sticks around for three years unless we feel he’s a Bomber.”
Caleb Franklin, who grew up in White Rock and Lake Cowichan, B.C., came to Flin Flon last season. The forward has provided grit and secondary scoring this season with 32 points.
The team’s other five 20-year-olds joined the squad this season. Laval product Alec Malo - a long-time friend of Houle-Villeneuve - and Rafuse have been big offensive contributors and brought major junior experience. As of March 1, both were tied for second in the SJHL with 88 points. Rafuse had 39 goals, while Malo led the league in assists with 66 in 54 games.
Flin Flon added dynamic forward Zach Bannister at the trade deadline. The Grande Prairie, Alta. product had 15 points in 17 games with the Bombers, as of March 1. Between playing in Flin Flon, La Ronge and Melville this season, he had 15 goals and 51 points in 56 games.
On the backend, Hirst and Troy Quinn, former teammates with last year’s MJHL finalist Swan Valley Stampeders, have been valuable contributors. Hirst was acquired in November from the Kindersley Klippers. He and Martin have formed one of the league’s top blueline pairings. Hisrt had 33 points and nine goals in 35 games with the Bombers.
Quinn brought valuable experience to the Bombers from many different places. Quinn played in three Canadian junior A leagues prior to coming to Flin Flon, as well as the U.S.-based North American Hockey League. The Nepean, Ont. product had four goals and 13 points in 34 games.
The players have embraced competing for a historic franchise in Flin Flon.
“Playing for a team that has as much history as the Bombers and that amount of fans and people who love the team is a part I really enjoy about being a Bomber,” Houle-Villeneuve said.
