It wasn't the way the Flin Flon Bombers wanted to close out their Christmas break this past weekend.

 

The Bombers hit the road for three more games before Christmas and it started well with an 8-2 win over Laronge on Friday.

 

Captain Nate Hooper led the way with 5 points,  and Brandson Hein collected his third hat-trick of the year to give him 30 on the season.

 

Jacob Delorme got the start and was solid when he needed to be with 26 saves on 28 shots.

 

After more issues with the bus, the Bombers hit the road for Kindersley Saturday and the offense all but dried up with a pair of losses, 6-1 Saturday and 3-1 yesterday afternoon.

 

Kindersley is very good defensively and have the second best goals against in the league. The Klippers have only given up 74 goals in 34 games and only gave up 4 goals total in sweeping all 4 meetings with Flin Flon this year.

 

A lot of people think it is due to the goaltending, but I can tell you they run a very effective system in front of Justin Close and Zach Johnson.

 

Caleb Moretz was the only Bomber to beat Close Saturday and Midget call up Shayde Petersen got the only goal on Zach Johnson yesterday.

 

Pierce Diamond started on Saturday and was pulled after giving up 4 goals on 16 shots. Jacob Delorme came in half way through the second and stopped 9 of 11.

 

Delorme would get the start Sunday afternoon,  and I thought he  played well especially in the first period with a very lacklustre performance from his team.

 

The Klippers out shot the Bombers 15-8 in the first and were only able to score one goal.

 

Flin Flon would get it going in the second and third, but had a tough time getting pucks past Johnson, not to mention two cross bars and two posts.

 

Delorme ended up with 29 saves on 32 shots, and Johnson stopped 31out of 32. The Bombers couldn't get the power play going and went 0 for 5, while the Klippers were 1 for 5.

 

So, after the weekend, Flin Flon is 19-11-0-2 on the season and sit third in the Sherwood Division and are strating to fall behind the two front running teams in Melfort and Nipawin.

 

The Bombers are 8 points behind the Mustangs with a game in hand, and are 10 behind Nipawin with three games in hand.

 

What is most concerning to me is that Flin Flon only has 4 wins against teams that are over .500, and I expect them to improve on that after Christmas.

 

Flin Flon will enjoy a two week break before returning to the ice, December the 31st in Laronge. Game time has yet to be determined and 102.9 CFAR and flinflononline.com will have the broadcast.