Winner, winner, chicken dinner. The Bomber offence didn't stay quiet Wednesday night, sending fans home happy with a 8-0 drubbing over Weyburn.
With several key players – forwards Alec Malo and Zach Bannister, along with captain Mason Martin – out on what head coach and general manager Mike Reagan described in the game program as "load management", the Bombers still struck early and often.
Hayden Clayton had two seeing-eye wristers beat Red Wing goalie Douglas Wakelyn in the first. Goalie Cal Schell even earned an assist on Clayton's second goal.
In the second, Tristan Lemyre got on the board with faceoff dot snapshot, then scored again 10 minutes later after some pinpoint passing gave him a wide-open net in the slot. More pretty passing paid dividends for Dane Hirst late in the second, with him scoring a powerplay goal after a similar play. Reid Robertson added another marker with seconds left in the second, getting a shot shortly after a faceoff to make it 6-0 after 40.
Cole Vardy snuck a little wrister past Wakelyn in the first minute of the third and Lemyre got his hat trick midway through the final frame after a long wrist shot deflected off a defender's stick and went in bar down. A couple of late fights broke out, but the numbers on the big board flashed a giant 8-0 at the final whistle.
Schell earned his first SJHL shutout in the win, making 25 saves on the night. Wakelyn made 34 saves with little defensive help, playing the whole game despite letting in eight markers.
With the two points, the Bombers are assured at least a tie for the Sherwood division title. With 75 points and five games remaining, the Bombers can only be touched in-division by the Melfort Mustangs. If Melfort wins each of their last six games and the Bombers lose all their remaining matchups, they can tie the Bombers at 75 points. If the Bombers get even one point in their last five or Melfort loses only one point, the title is assured to be Flin Flon's. Melfort and the Bombers both play Friday night, meaning the Bombers could clinch a division title with a win or a Mustangs loss.
As of Wednesday night, the Bombers still sit second in the league. According to win percentages, the most likely first-round postseason opponent for the Bombers is the Estevan Bruins, who currently sit eighth behind Humboldt but have games in hand. The Bombers will face the Bruins at home Friday night, with another game Saturday night against Notre Dame.
