The Flin Flon Bombers didn't get the start to the season they may have hoped for Friday night, dropping their first game of the year 3-1 to Melfort.
The Mustangs came out with purpose in their home opener, hanging up a memorial banner for Dylan Ashe in a pre-game ceremony. Ashe, who played for the Mustangs last season, died in a car accident earlier this fall, not long before the Mustangs were set to open up training camp.
It was Melfort that drew first blood, with Cameron Rimstad opening the scoring in the first. Colton Schell banged one past Bomber netminder Cal Schell (no relation) to make it 2-0 Melfort in the second period.
Flin Flon got on the board courtesy of WHL loanee Brad Ginnell, who scored his first as a Bomber to cut the lead to one, but Melfort got a goal from a WHL player of their own in the third. Ethan Regnier put up just under the bar and past Schell to end the night with a 3-1 Mustangs lead.
Melfort goalie Joel Favreau saved 31 of 32 shots in his first-ever SJHL game, while Schell stopped 25 pucks.
The Bombers will attempt to avenge the loss at the Whitney Forum Saturday night, with a sold-out crowd of 400 people allowed inside the arena.
