The Flin Flon Bombers are not out of the woods in The Reminder's simulation of the SJHL playoffs. While one spot in the SJHL final is now filled, the Bombers will be going to a Game 7 with Melfort.
In Game 6, played at the virtual Northern Lights Palace in Melfort, the Mustangs found the net first, with Kenzie Arnold scoring late in the first period on a cross-crease pass. Shortly after, Melfort almost made it 2-0 - a Tian Rask goal was waved off after Rask bumped into Bomber goalie Jacob Delorme.
The Bombers would take some time to get on the board, but Chase Haygarth took care of business late in the second, picking off an errant pass and finding the net. This game was a see-saw battle through 40 minutes, with both teams tied 1-1.
It was in the third period where the tide turned for Melfort. Three goals in five minutes from Christian Albertson and Kyle Bosch, who scored twice within a minute, pushed the ‘Stangs ahead. The Bombers got no shortage of chances on the powerplay - the Mustangs took seven penalties on the night and Flin Flon got a whopping 22 powerplay shots on net, but Melfort goalie Shawn Parkinson stood tall on every single one.
The Mustangs held up for a 4-1 win, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Flin Flon Wednesday night - win, or go home. Parkinson made 48 saves on 49 shots to keep Melfort alive, while Delorme made 41 stops.
Battlefords/La Ronge
With a spot in the final on the line, Battlefords game into Game 6 hoping to clinch a spot in their second straight SJHL final.
The game started out well enough for the Stars. Dylan Esau grabbed a fast goal, the second time in the series that he opened the scoring, but La Ronge's Jake Gudjonson responded moments later. Quintin Loon-Stewardson scored again later in the period, giving the Stars a 2-1 lead.
La Ronge tied the game on a weird goal when Stars captain Matthew Fletcher’s point pass hit a skate and bounced into his own net. Logan Holm got credit for the goal. Steven Kesslering and Kevin Fillier traded goals in the second, heading into the third with a 3-3 tie.
When Seth Summers steps in from the point, goalies get scared. Summers stepped into one on Ice Wolves goalie Liam McGarva midway through the third. While McGarva made the save, Kesslering jumped on the rebound, giving Battlefords a lead they wouldn’t give up. Carson Reagan added an empty-netter to ice a 5-3 win, a series win and a spot in the SJHL finals.
The Bombers and Mustangs will play a Game 7 in the simulation Wednesday night, with the Bombers getting home ice advantage. No matter who wins, the simulation will continue with Games 1 and 2 of the finals Friday and Saturday night, coming from the virtual North Battleford Civic Centre.
Full wrap-ups on every simulated game can be found on The Reminder’s social media pages and at our website at thereminder.ca.
