For the first time since opening weekend, the Flin Flon Bombers travelled to Nipawin to face their Sherwood arch rivals the Hawks.
This was a tight defensive battle with Nipawin picking up the2-1 overtime victory.
Carter Danczak scored both Hawk goals on the powerplay. He opened the scoring at 11:47 of the first period, and got the overtime winner on a 4on 3 with just 1:31 remaing in the extra frame. It looked like the Bombers would kill the penalty and get the game to a shoot out.
Tanner Lishchynski took a questionable high sticking penalty to give the Hawks a power play chance and they were able to convert, when Danczak grabbed a rebound at the side of the Bomber net and fired it past Adam Beukeboom.
This was Beukeboom's first loss in a Bomber uniform after 3 straight wins. This was also the first game he gave up more than 1 goal.
Flin Flon's loan goal came from rookie Kristian St.Onge, when he took a pass from line mate Michael Knaub and fired it five hole on Hawk net minder Joe O'brien who stopped the other 38 Bomber shots fired in his direction.
Specialty teams were the big story of this game with Nipawin going 2 for 4 on the man advantage, and Flin Flon wound up 0 for 6 including a full 2 minute 5 on 3 in the first period. The Bombers were a combined 0 for 13 over the weekend but still have the league's best power play at 25.4 %
Braden Lacoursiere was back in the Bomber lineup after being out about a month with a shoulder injury, and I thought he looked pretty good and didn't seem to miss a beat. Lacousiere played very physical and seemed to be his usual self.
After the weekend Flin Flon sits second in the Sherwood Division with a record of: 13-3-4-3, 3points behind Melfort for the Division lead . Nipawin improves to : 13-6-1-2, 4 points behind Flin Flon for second place with a game in hand. Nipawin now leads the season series 2-1.
Next up for the Bombers will be a pair of home games this Friday and Saturday against Weyburn and Laronge. Both these teams are playing better hockey with Weyburn picking up a big win against the Battlefords on Saturday to get out of the basement in the Viterra Division. Laronge have reeled off 3 straight home wins and will be looking for their first win of the year over Flin Flon.
It is parent's weekend, so there should be a great turn out both nights at the Whitney Forum. Saturday's game against Laronge will be broadcast on 102.9 CFAR and flinflononline.com. We hit the air at 7:15.
Mike Reagan mentioned during last night's Coach's Show that 17 year old defenseman Dustin Perrilat will not be returning to the lineup this season as he has been recalled by Moose Jaw of the WHL.
