Three up, three down – the Flin Flon Bombers finished a perfect road trip Saturday night with a 3-2 win in Kindersley, snagging them top spot in the Sherwood Division.
The Bombers got out to a first period lead courtesy of rookie Mason Kaspick. After bouncing in and out of the lineup this season, Kaspick has five points, including four goals, in his past three games.
Flin Flon added to the lead in the second, with Donavan Houle-Villeneuve scoring his 17th marker of the season.
Kindersley came back late in the second, first with a goal by Austin Nault, then with another marker from Caden Benson. The game was tied 2-2 after 40 minutes.
In the third period, the Bombers broke the deadlock after Reid Robertson found paydirt. Robertson’s goal would stand as the game-winner.
Jacob Delorme earned a 30-save win, while Klippers netminder Matthew Pesenti made 39 stops, including 20 in the first period alone.
With Nipawin beating Melfort 2-1 Saturday night, the Bombers have now grabbed sole possession of first place in the ever competitive Sherwood Division, pipping Melfort to the top by one point. Through 17 games, the Bombers have recorded 26 points, just ahead of Melfort’s 25 in 18 games. The Bombers are also second overall in the SJHL, only behind the Battlefords North Stars. Flin Flon also boasts the the league’s most potent powerplay, scoring almost on one-third of their chances, while also having the stingiest penalty kill, snuffing out 88 per cent of opponents’ powerplays.
The Bombers dressed their third midget affiliate player of the season, bringing up Hunter Larocque from the Swift Current Legionnaires midget AAA team. Larocque, a fourth-round bantam draft pick of the Bombers, replaced Jack Craycroft in the lineup for the Bombers. Flin Flon has previously dressed Noah Kuntz and Marek Schneider during road games when the team’s defence has been weakened by injuries.
Saturday’s game marked the end of Alec Malo’s impressive 16 game point streak. Over that time, Malo has recorded 33 points, enough to lead the SJHL in scoring. It was the first time since Malo was traded to Flin Flon that the forward was skunked on the scoresheet.
The Bombers will continue their schedule with a rare weekday home-and-home, playing Melfort at the Whitney Forum Tuesday before heading out for a road date on Halloween.
