Not every road trip can be perfect. The Bombers’ six-game win streak and a shot at another aced southern swing were snapped Saturday by Estevan, who beat the Bombers 6-2.
Things went against the Bombers late in the first, when both Erik Boers and Jayden Davis snuck pucks past Flin Flon ‘tender Jacob Delorme mere seconds apart. A pair of goals by Griffin Asham-Moroz in the second extended the lead. While Caleb Franklin and Tristan Lemyre both lit the lamp for the Bombers, being down 4-2 after 40 was as close as they’d get – Davis would add a pair of third period goals to ice a Bruins win.
Mere days after a rout at the hands of the Bombers up north, Bruins goalie Keenan Rancier made 30 saves in the win. Delorme made 22 stops in the loss.
The Bombers remain atop the Sherwood division and in the league’s second seed with 71 points.
According to current SJHL point projections, the Bruins and Bombers are now likely to face each other in the first round of this year’s playoffs. With Saturday’s win, the Bruins keep a three point lead over Kindersley for the last playoff spot with 52 total points and two games in hand. The Bruins sit only one point behind seventh-place Humboldt with three games in hand.
Flin Flon needs only four more points to clinch the Sherwood division title over Nipawin, La Ronge and Melfort, regardless of any outcome from the other three teams.
The Bombers will play a trio of games next week, each against difficult opponents. Melfort will host the Bombers Feb. 12, then the Bombers will finish the regular season with six home games out of their remaining seven. The Battlefords North Stars will come to the Whitney Forum for a pair of games Feb. 14-15.
