The Flin Flon Bombers have two games in the books to start the new year and after a 4 to 2 win against Nipawin on Friday, the Bombers found them selves on the wrong end of a 3 to 0 game on Saturday.
The Bombers powerplay was sizzling on Friday going 4 for 7 with Carter Anderson picking up his fourth hat-trick of the year with his 25th,26th and 27th of the year. Justin Lies scored the other goal, his league leading 28th.
Anderson is one of the most devastating players I have ever seen with the extra attacker and leads all players in the SJHL with 18 powerplay goals. It is really impressive when you consider we are just into January.
Flin Flon looked a little sluggish on Friday after the 19 day break, but picked things up against the Hawks as the game went on, and they beat Nipawin for the third straight time this year in front of a very good crowd at the Whitney Forum.
Saturday the boys jumped on the bus and headed up the road to Melfort to face the Mustangs at the Northern Lights Palace for the very first time this season. The two teams have squared off at the Whitney Forum three times this year with the Bombers going 2-0-1 in the three games.
The game started slow on Saturday and it looked like the Bombers would get on the board first with another powerplay goal from Justin Lies. Lies was able to get a rebound on James Venne and beat him five hole but the goal was waved off and Lies was handed a penalty for goaltender interference.
It was definately one of the strangest calls I have witnessed this year and Lies was stunned that the call was made and the Bombers wern't able to get anything going offensively after that.
Melfort played a solid game and scored all of their goals in the third period enroute to the 3 to 0 victory. The game winner was scored by Kaleb Binner when he streaked down the ice and fooled Harmon Laser Hume with a nice shot over his left shoulder.
Aidyn Hutchinson scored a pair with a nice shot off the post and in on the powerplay and he also added an empty netter to give him 18 on the season.
Harmon Laser Hume suffered just his second loss of the year making 24 saves on 26 shots. James Venne stopped all 26 shots fired in his direction but wasn't really tested.
This is just the third regulation loss all year for the Flin Flon Bombers who see their record fall to 29-2-2. The Mustangs continue to play well and have moved to within 9 points of Flin Flon for first overall with a record of 24-9-3.
Both teams expect to be busy with the January 10th trade deadline just a couple days away. Bomber Head Coach and GM Mike Reagan says he may have some deals to report as early as tomorrow and if anything does happen we will report on it asap.
Flin Flon won't be back on the ice til next Friday when they will once again host the Nipawin Hawks. Melfort is also in action next Friday when they play Humboldt.
