The last game at the 2020 SJHL-MJHL Showcase is now in the books and Bomber players had positive performances.
In total, nine Flin Flon Bomber players and head coach and general manager Mike Reagan took part in the annual tournament, tantamount to an all-star game for both leagues.
Out of the three SJHL teams, two contained Bomber players – forwards Tristan Lemyre and Jaeden Mercier suited up for Team Schwartz, the team for the SJHL’s finest 2001-, 2002- and 2003-born talent. Reagan also served as a coach with the team alongside Estevan coach Chris Lewgood.
The other team featuring Bombers was Team Mitchell, the team for 1999- and 2000-born talent mostly from the league’s northern-based teams. Seven Bombers – forwards Zach Bannister, Chase Haygarth, Easton Haygarth and Donavan Houle-Villeneuve and defenders Dane Hirst, Mason Martin and Troy Quinn – were included on the team’s roster.
After the SJHL’s Team Kunitz beat the MJHL’s Team Belfour 1-0 in the tournament opener, Team Mitchell was up on deck, facing the MJHL’s Team Zajac. That game ended in a 4-1 SJHL loss. Houle-Villeneuve scored the SJHL’s only goal of the game early in the third period, getting an assist from Bannister.
Team Schwartz had similar luck, losing their first game of the showcase to the MJHL’s Team Garbutt 5-2. Lemyre got on the scoresheet with an assist on the SJHL’s first goal of the game, a powerplay marker by Humboldt’s Tristan Shewchuk.
On day two, Team Zajac scored another win for the MJHL, beating SJHL Team Kunitz 4-3. Team Belfour zipped up the overall weekend win for the Manitoba teams by beating Team Mitchell 4-3 Wednesday afternoon. The MJHL team battled back from a 3-0 deficit halfway through the game, scoring four unanswered goals on Estevan goalie Keenan Rancier in the second half. Nipawin Hawks were all over the scoresheet for Mitchell in their second game, with Jake Tremblay finishing with two goals and an assist and Jordan Simoneau adding a goal and an apple.
For the Bombers, Martin and Hirst got on the scoresheet with assists on Tremblay’s first goal, a shorthanded marker in the second period. Houle-Villeneuve was not dressed for the game, leaving Team Mitchell a man short for the outing.
In the weekend’s final game, a rematch between Team Schwartz and Team Garbutt, Mercier was scratched from the lineup along with Griffin Asham-Moroz of Estevan. Weyburn’s Liam Rutten and Estevan Bruin Troy Hamilton got the call instead. The roster changes appeared work early, as the SJHL side went up 4-0 in the first, including a goal by Lemyre. The MJHL team surged back though, scored five straight goals in nine minutes to gain the lead. The SJ team righted the ship with a pair of late second period goals and ended up winning 8-6. Lemyre added a late empty-netter, finishing with two goals and an assist, one of five SJHL players with multi-point games.
At the end of the weekend, it was Lemyre who led all participating Bombers in scoring with four points in two games. Lemyre and linemate Shewchuk led all players participating in points during the showcase.
Houle-Villeneuve ended with one goal in the game he played, while Bannister, Hirst and Martin ended with assists. Mercier, both Haygarths and Quinn finished the series off the scoresheet.
The Bombers will be back in action at home Jan. 24 to start a home-and-home series with the Nipawin Hawks.
