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 Flin Flon Bombers are currently enjoying a two-game winning streak that could be extended to three today and four tomorrow. This after ending a two-game skid. Another skid that may end is the four-year playoff drought. As I mention this, I still remember a gentleman approaching me in the Whitney Forum after a game following Ryan Hoffman's release. He said I was wrong when I said in my column that it's only been four years since they were in the playoffs- that it's has been 11 years. In conversation with other people, they say four years is correct. I guess in his opinion qualifying for the Survivor Series doesn't count. So does that mean if the Bombers are in the Survivor Series again this year it's the same thing? Barring a Bomber slide and the Kindersley Klippers playing .500 hockey, Flin Flon will be in the playoffs. Chances of Kindersley playing well enough to steal the Bombers playoff spot is as likely as host Italy winning the gold medal on the men's side for hockey in the Olympics. It would simply be a shocker. This isn't the same team that started the the season 1-9. Aside from personnel changes, coach-GM Doug Stokes has made a big difference. In his 13 games behind the bench, (not counting the games on Dec. 2 and 3 when hired against Melfort) the Bombers are 5-8, but play a much improved game. While it's a losing record, what's impressive is that all five wins are against winning teams. One of the eight losses is to Kindersley, who the Bombers were 5-0 until their recent 6-3 loss. In a conversation with Stokes, he asked me what he thought of the team, so I told him. I mentioned how the team was only a few games below .500 under him and how this weekend they could pull closer to being even by winning both games this weekend. Stokes considers that record to be mediocre. While it isn't a great record, it's not horrible considering how far the team has come. And he said he's not a Messiah. He took over a team with a 9-18-0-1 record. There was a difference the first game he stepped behind. Everybody knows that the playoffs are a new season and Stokes believes he has the most important part of the puzzle-goaltending. Stokes said Zane Kalemba is one of the best tier two goalies he's seen in his 20 years. Hell, he practically high-fived his goalie in the dressing room after the Terriers game. The Bombers have 12 games remaining in the season to continue their improvement and secure the final playoff spot, eight of those games are at home which has been decent for them with a 10-10-0-1 record. Teams throughout the league should keep a close eye on how this team wraps up the season because they could be a sleeping giant.
