The Flin Flon Bombers will be seeking ways to light the lamp this week as they try to battle back in their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoff series.
After falling twice on the road, the No. 7-seeded Bombers trailed the second-seeded Battlefords North Stars, 2-0, as of Sunday, in the best-of-seven quarterfinals series. Battlefords won game one, 3-0, and got past Flin Flon, 2-1, with a power-play goal in overtime, in the second contest.
Games three and four were slated for Tuesday and Wednesday at the historic Whitney Forum. A home win would mean a game five in Battlefords on Friday. If they are needed, game six would be played in Flin Flon on Sunday and game seven in North Battleford on Tuesday.
When asked about the team’s focus as the series shifts to Flin Flon, Bombers head coach Mike Reagan said, “I think our focus is on how to find a way to score and to get our power play going. It’s had many chances to win us both games and it hasn’t been good. So far, there is one power-play goal between the two clubs and it got Battlefords a win.”
“I’ve liked our play five-on-five. We’re outshooting the Stars, but not capitalizing on our chances. Their goaltender has been very good.”
North Stars netminder Joel Grzybowski has a 0.47 goals against average with a .988 save percentage through two games of the series, having only given up one goal through two games. As well as trying to overcome him, the Bombers have had to deal with some calls not going their way. They had a game one goal disallowed and, in game two, a Battlefords marker counted that many felt did not go in.
“It’s been frustrating to have those calls go against you,” Reagan said. “We have to get over them and move on to take care of business at home. I’m very confident in our group’s ability to come back and feel that this will add fuel to the fire.”
In game one, Battlefords scored a goal in each period. Grzybowski made 37 saves for the shutout.
“I believe game one we were the better of the two teams for a majority of the game, but at the end of the day you have to score in order to win and what it says on the clock determines who wins,” Reagan said.
The next night Battlefords took a 1-0 first period lead in game two. However, the goal light did not go on and observers, even North Stars fans, said it was not close to going in, Reagan said.
“I have never been more confident in my life that the puck did not go in. It’s tough enough to score in the playoffs without goals being awarded that don’t go in.”
In the second period, Caleb Franklin tied the game for Flin Flon, 1-1. Neither team scored in the third period. Kaden Boser gave the North Stars the win on a power-play goal in overtime.
“I really liked our game two hunger for the most part,” Reagan said. “I felt we had the Stars on their heels the whole second half after we scored.”
