The Flin Flon Bombers and Weyburn Red Wings split the first two games of the SJHL Semi Final this past weekend at the Whitney Forum.
Weyburn was able to shake off a tough first period on Friday where they were out shot 17 to 4 and rallied for a 2 to 0 win.
Flin Flon came out on Friday and fired all kinds of shots at goaltender Joey Rocha , but he was able to turn away everything in his direction and kept the game scoreless after one.
The game winning goal was scored in the second period when Dion Schraeder was able to re-direct a shot from Will Munro at the right side of the Bombers net.
Flin Flon couldn’t clear the puck out of their own zone, and Schraeder was left alone in front of the Bomber net to collect his 4th of the playoffs, as that is all the offense Weyburn would need.
Flin Flon kept pressing but the Wings did a great job clogging up the middle of the ice and blocking a lot of shots to keep the high powered Bomber offense at bay.
It looked like the Bombers would get the break they needed late in the third period, when Weyburn was assessed a four minute penalty with less than ten minutes remaining in the game.
The Bomber powerplay which was ranked number one in the regular season couldn’t get anything going and had a hard time getting in the Wings zone to set up.
The Wings continued to stymie the Bomber offense and got a big insurance goal when Weyburn Captain Lucas Schmid scored his first of the post season to preserve the 2 to 0 victory.
Joey Rocha was solid and his rebound control was excellent as the Wings netminder made 37 saves for the win and his first shutout of the playoffs. Charlie Tritt was very good for Flin Flon in a losing cause making 23 saves for his first loss of the playoffs.
The Bombers knew they needed to be betterin game two and Head Coach and GM Mike Reagan was looking for a quick start to try and get the large crowd behind his team early.
The game couldn’t of started any better for the Maroon and White with Rhett Ewen grabbing a puck right off the opening faceoff and racing down the ice to beat Rocha five hole for his second of the post season, 28 seconds in. The crowd went wild and the Bombers continued to respond.
Leo Seitz would score less than five minutes later for his second of the post season , before Hudson Brehaut scored a late first period goal for his first of the playoffs.
Flin Flon took a 3 to 0 lead into the second period and the offense kept coming from Ryder Knutson who got his first playoff goal as a Bomber, when he received a nice pass in front of the net from Ryan Ulmer.
Weyburn finally beat Charlie Tritt, when Callace Pierce was able to score on the powerplay when he beat a screened Tritt for his fifth of the playoffs, with a lot of traffic in front of the Bomber net. This was the first powerplay goal that Flin Flon has given up in the entire post season.
The Bombers would restore the four goal lead early in the third , when Connor Miller stole a puck at the Wing blue line and went down the ice and beat Joey Rocha with a nice back hand for his third of the playoffs. Weyburn would answer with Roan Burgess banging in a shot off the post to get the Wings back within three at 5 to 2.
With nothing to lose, Weyburn Head Coach and GM, Cody Mapes pulled his goalie to try and get closer, but it was the Bombers finding the back of the net with Miller getting his second of the night and team leading fourth of the post season.
Flin Flon took game two 6 to 2, to the delight of the 1000 plus fans in attendance to even the series at a game a piece.
Chalie Tritt who received his Top Goaltender Award from the SJHL Commissioner Kyle McIntire prior to the start of game two was solid with 22 saves on 24 shots. Joey Rocha suffered the loss giving up 5 goals on 25 shots with one scored into the empty net.
Weyburn did what they had to do, and with their game one win have taken away home ice advantage. If the Bombers are going to win this series they will have to win at least one game in Weyburn.
The series will shift to Whitecap Resources Centre in Weyburn for games three and four this Tuesday and Wednesday with an 8pm Manitoba start time both nights.
It was awesome to see and hear the great crowd support for the Bombers in games one and two at the Whitney Forum. That just go’s to show you that nothing beats playoff hockey at the Whitney Forum with the best and most loyal hockey fans in the world. Look forward to seeing everyone back in Flin Flon for game five on Saturday.
