Familiar foes will be facing off in The Reminder's simulation of the SJHL playoffs. The Flin Flon Bombers will move on to fight for a title against Battlefords after a Game 7 win against Melfort Wednesday night.
With a spot in the SJHL finals on the line, the Bombers came out screaming with four quick shots in four minutes. Momentum swung back and forth between the two clubs. It was the Mustangs who opened the scoring – Austin Nault scored on a shot in the high slot that Bomber goalie Jacob Delorme couldn’t track.
The game would be evened up soon enough, however – with Kenzie Arnold in the penalty box, Donavan Houle-Villeneuve got on the board after getting a pass in front, throwing off Mustangs ‘tender Shawn Parkinson with a fake and going glove side roof.
Game 7 was tied 1-1 after one period.
After killing off an early penalty, the Bombers controlled the balance of play early. Finally, halfway through the second period, Jack Michell found the twine with a long wrist shot, giving the Bombers the lead. Off the ensuing faceoff, Tristan Lemyre started play back in the Melfort zone, then found the puck in a crowd and fired, scoring the Bombers’ third goal of the night.
Off the next faceoff, the Mustangs took a similar tactic, driving the play back to Flin Flon’s end. Mustangs captain Tyson Meyers was the beneficiary, scoring a goal to cut Flin Flon’s lead to one.
Within 32 seconds, Game 7 went from a 1-1 tie to a 3-2 Bomber lead.
Melfort did themselves no favours later in the second, taking two late penalties. The Bombers weren’t able to convert on the powerplay, but did end up heading into the third with a 3-2 lead.
With a Mustang in the box, Mason Martin got on the scoresheet, parking himself dead centre at the blueline and threading a low shot through everything – including Parkinson’s feet. 4-2 Bombers with 19 minutes to go.
Flin Flon’s offence did not stop, generating shots throughout the period, although Parkinson was up to the task. Houle-Villeneuve almost iced the series with a shot in close, but Parkinson robbed him with a desperation stop.
While Melfort came on late and Parkinson hit the bench, giving the Mustangs a man up with an empty net, the Bombers would hold on.
For the third time in five seasons, the Bombers will play for an SJHL championship.
Jacob Delorme made 39 saves in the win, earning the game’s first star. Houle-Villeneuve added a goal and an assist, while Alec Malo got on the scoresheet with a pair of assists.
The victory sets up a Battlefords-Bombers playoff series for the fourth time in the past five seasons. While the Bombers got the best of the Stars in 2016, beating them in the league semifinals in five games, Battlefords swept the Bombers in the 2017 league finals and knocked the Bombers out in seven in 2019 despite a near reverse sweep for Flin Flon.
If the Bombers win, they will snap one of the team’s longest title droughts, having not won a championship since 1993.
If the Stars win, then the Bombers will be, for the fifth consecutive playoff, eliminated by the SJHL playoff champ.
Games 1 and 2 of the simulated series will take place at the North Battlefords Civic Centre Friday and Saturday night.
