It looked like the Bombers may blow the Mustangs out on Wednesday, but it didn't turn out that way.
Flin Flon had a great first period, scoring a pair of goals. Bucsis scored his fourth of the season and Hounsell followed that up with a power play goal, his second to give the Bombers a 2-0 lead after one.
No scoring in the second period, and the Bombers seemed to be on their way out shooting Melfort 38-11 after 2.
A totally different game in the third period, as the Mustangs came out firing and got rewarded for their fine play on goals by Mayan and Hermary. Melfort outshot Flin Flon 21-3. The Bombers were lucky to get it to over time.
They couldn't decide it in the extra five minutes, so enter the shoot out. Both goaltenders were sharp and it took seven rounds to decide it. Connor Bucsis who scored in the first period, got the winner when he went down the right side and fired a beautiful wrist shot past Jack Romanuik.
This was Flin Flon's first shoot out of the year, and I got a sense Mike Reagan was looking for Riley Storzuk on the bench, who was absolute money last year.
This is a huge win for the Bombers who take sole possesion of second in the Sherwood Division. Flin Flon is back over .500 at 11-10 and lead Laronge and Melfort by two points. Yorkton did the Bombers a favour Wednesday beating Laronge 6-2.
The Bombers improve to 7-4 at home and are 4-3 against teams in their own division.
Simon Hofley made his sixth career start and has yet to lose at the Whitney Forum.
Hofley had this to say after the game. " This was my first shoot out in ten years, and I just tried to shake off the cob webs." " It was fun to play in and even better to win." "It was really fun to feed off the crowd."
The Bombers travel to Kindersley and Battleford this weekend, Friday and Saturday. Flin Flon split both games with Kindersley at the Whitney Forum October the fourth and fifth. The Bombers were the first team to beat Kindersley in regulation this season. Saturday's game is the first meeting with Battleford. The two teams split the six meetings last year.
Both games on CFAR-590 and flinflononline.com starting both nights at 7:10.
