Flin Flon Bombers head coach Mike Reagan does not know if there is a more exciting player to watch in the SJHL than forward Donavan Houle-Villeneuve.
Flin Flon’s fast and physical forward from Montreal was sixth in the league in goals, though he had missed six games and played up to 13 games less than those ahead of him. Houle-Villeneuve is seventh in the SJHL in points.
“Donavan has a lot of tools,” Reagan said.
“He’s got skill, speed, size and he’s motivated. Those things are a lethal combination.”
Houle-Villeneuve has 24 goals, 27 assists and 51 points. He helped the Bombers top Nipawin 4-3 in overtime last week.
After an impressive poke check by Flin Flon goalie Jacob Delorme, newcomer Zach Bannister got the puck to Tristan Lemyre, who scored on a backhand over Nipawin goalie Ross Hawryluk’s glove for the win.
“Nipawin is playing with a lot of confidence,” head coach Mike Reagan said. “They had won five in a row. Those are the games you’ve got to get up for.”
The Bombers are now 4-0 against their Sherwood division foes. The teams will play again on Friday at the Whitney Forum and on Saturday in Nipawin.
Flin Flon’s victory in Nipawin boosted their road record to 14-3-4-0, earning 32 points in 18 games on the road. That compares favourably to the teams’ 12-6-3-0 record at the Forum this season, racking up 25 points in 19 games - seven fewer in one game more.
“I always tell our guys, ‘If you are going to win a championship, you’ve got to win on the road,’” said Reagan, who noted he believes the Bombers, at times, play a “simpler game” away from the Whitney, which has helped them this season.
In the win over Nipawin, the Flin Flon’s two new forwards combined for three points. Bannister had two assists and Hayden Clayton scored. The team was buoyed by the strong play of a shorthanded defence corps. With an injury to Jaxon White and a skate issue taking Mason Martin out, the team was down to four D-men by the end.
Houle-Villeneuve has already surpassed the point totals he posted in his two previous campaigns in maroon and white. Reagan said that the veteran has learned how to be an effective player through maturing over the years.
“I think my confidence going into the season and my bigger role on the team really helped me getting more points this season,” said Houle-Villeneuve, who noted he feels he has grown a lot during his time in Flin Flon.
Bombers captain and defenceman Mason Martin has been teammates with the standout forward for all three seasons. He said he always knows what you are going to get out of Houle-Villeneuve.
“The guy works hard in all zones and he knows how to put the puck in the net,” Martin said. “His speed is unbelievable, so just playing with an all-around player like him you really got to enjoy that.”
While Houle-Villeneuve’s speed, scoring prowess and points production impresses, he does not shy away from the physical aspects of the game. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder leads the team in penalty minutes with 119.
“He can be physically dominating because of his size and speed,” Reagan said. “He likes to hit hard, and he plays his best when he’s physical.”
As an assistant captain, Houle-Villeneuve lets his actions speak for himself, his head coach said.
Those actions and his strong play earned him an NCAA Division I scholarship to play at the University of Maine next season. The program won two national titles in the 1990s and produced NHL players Paul Kariya, Detroit Red Wings netminder Jimmy Howard, Manitoba’s own Dustin Penner and former Bomber Eddie Wood.
Houle-Villeneuve, who has enjoyed living for three seasons with the Rideouts in Flin Flon, is looking forward to his future at the college.
“I’m really excited to play at Maine,” he said, noting he plans to study business. “I think I am mostly excited to play at a higher level and having a different routine.”
