After a very successful November, it has been a tough start in December for the Flin Flon Bombers who have started the month 0 and 3.
It was a tough start to the week, dropping a 6-2 game in Melfort on Wednesday, and the Bombers were looking forward to returning home to face Kindersley and Estevan this weekend.
Flin Flon came out flying against the Klippers Friday, played 2 great periods and took a 4-1 lead to the dressing room after 2. That is when the wheels fell off and the Bombers surrendered 5 goals and ended up losing to Kindersley 6-4 in front of a shocked Whitney Forum.
Recently acquired Darcy Deroose scored an early powerplay at 2:02 and it seemed to give Kindersley a big spark. The Klippers would score 4 more times in a ten minute span en route to their 22nd victory of the season.
It was a tough night for Simon Hofley who appeared to pull him self after Kindersley's 5th goal. Bomber goal scorers Friday were: Parker Evans Campbell with a pair his 6th and 7th, Dean Allison(9) and Alex Smith (13).
Saturday was a new day and new opponent, the Estevan Bruins who Flin Flon had out scored 15-3 in their first 2 meetings.
The Bruins came in, kept it simple and also had a big third period, where they would pull off their biggest win of the season 5-2 over Flin Flon.
Pastachak and Kocur ended up trading goals in the first period and it was 1-1 after 1. Estevan would get goals from Allison and Douglas in the second and took a 3-1 lead after 2.
A couple more insurance goals from McKersie and Pastachak put the Bruins up 5-1 early in the third, and the lead was too big for the Bomber's who could not mount the come back. Flin Flon would get 1 more goal from Switzer but it was not near enough.
This time It was Adam Beukeboom getting the hook, with Hofley coming in relief. Beukeboom gave up 5 goals on 20 shots, while Hofley stopped all 11 fired in his direction.
Flin Flon Heavilly out shot the Bruins 53-31, but had a tough time getting pucks past Tyler Fuhr who picked up his second victory with Estevan since being sent back to the SJHL from the Regina Pats of the WHL. Fuhr is no stranger to the Bombers, as he suited up against them a few times last season when he was with Laronge.
It has been a bad third period which has cost the Bombers dearly in their three game losing streak. Flin Flon has given up 17 goals in the last 3 games, and 11 of the goals have come in the third period.
The Bombers will try to re-bound for a huge game within the division, when the Nipawin Hawks make their way to the Whitney Forum on Tuesday. Nipawin is playing very well and are: 7-2-1 in their last 10. The Hawks have taken 2 of 3 games against the Bombers this season including a 2-1 OT victory on November the 23rd at the Cage.
If Nipawin can beat Estevan tonight, they will also take over second place in the Sherwood Division.
The Bombers record stands at: 15-6-4-3 ( 37 points), 8 behind first place Melfort for the Sherwood Division lead with 2 games in hand, and just 1 point ahead of Nipawin for second , who have a game in hand on Flin Flon.
Nipawin will make up that game against Estevan tonight. This Tuesday's home game will be the Bomber's last home game of 2014, before heading out for a 4 game road trip starting in Laronge Tuesday December the 16th. It will interesting to see who the Bombers will start in goal this Tuesday against the Hawks. The coaching staff will be watching both goalies closely during practise the next couple of days.
Gary Childerhose will once again be the man behind the bench Tuesday as Mike Reagan will still be in Calgary helping evaluate talent for the World JR "A" Challenge coming up later in the month in Kindersley.
