It's over.
After 63 games, 213 goals and untold hours of hard work and adversity, the Flin Flon Bombers are done for the season. The team went down in game five against the SJHL-leading Nipawin Hawks, losing 1-0 in an overtime thriller.
The main theme of the game was goaltending. Both Flin Flon's Brenden Newton and Nipawin goalie Declan Hobbs stood on their heads, saving every single one of the 66 shots on goal during regulation between both teams. After a goaltending performance for the ages, taking the game to overtime after a scoreless 60 minutes.
Newton headed into OT with 38 saves, holding off SJHL Player of the Year Josh McDougall and the SJHL's most potent powerplay five times in the first three periods.
In the overtime, the Hawks controlled the play for most of the period and took advantage of three power plays. The Bombers were left on their heels, only tallying five shots in the extra frame.
With less than one second left on the clock and a Bomber in the penalty box after a tripping call that had Flin Flon fans howling, McDougall sent the Bombers packing with a point shot that beat Newton.
Exactly one tenth of a second remained on the score clock.
Newton made 53 saves, including 15 saves in overtime, in what was his final junior A game. Hobbs made 33 saves for the shutout.
The heartbreaking loss will signal the end of four Bomber players' junior careers – Newton, captain Ben Lanfermann and forwards Jordan McCausland and Tyler Nyman.
