The Flin Flon Bombers shook off a 5-2 loss the night before and came out with a solid 2-1 win on Saturday over the Kindersley Klippers.

 

I didn't think  the Bombers played that bad on Friday, but are not getting a lot of puck luck so far in the young SJ season,  and have scored only 28 goals in 9 games with 8 coming in the win over Battleford a week ago Saturday.

 

Only Humboldt , Melville and Notre Dame have scored less.Saying that the Broncos and Hounds both have more points than the Bombers, so keeping the puck out of your net is also important.

 

Zac Robidoux was a big part of the story on Saturday as he was able to stop 23 out of 24 Klipper shots for his first career SJHL victory. Robidoux comes to the Bombers and the SJHL with a big resume after spending time in the WHL and winning a  National Championship last spring with the Portage Terriers.

 

I know there are big expectations for Robidoux, who is expected to stop everything, but the plain and simple truith is he hasn't been that bad. Robidoux is getting better and more comfortable with his new team and league and doesn't get a lot of offensive support.

 

The Bombers have scored more than 3 goals only twice in the 7 games he has played. I think he will be just fine. He was able to gain some confidence coming in for Connor Slip on Friday and stopped all 13 shots he faced in the third period. I asked Mike Reagan if he thought he would be able to carry that over

for Saturday and he thought he would , and Reagan was right.

 

The only puck to beat Robidoux was a break away by Bricker late in the second period.

 

 

It was nice to see Bomber captain Tyson Empey score his second of the season , when he parked himself in front of goaltender Nathan Hargrave to collect his second of the season. Empey works hard every game and hasn't been rewarded for his hard work near enough. Maybe this will turn his season around.

 

With the game tied at 1 going into the third period, it was veteran Joel Kocur scoring the game winner at 6:46 when he broke in alone to beat Hargrave five hole. It was Kocur's 5th of the season which has him tied with Brandon Switzer for the team lead.

 

The top line of Switzer, Kocur and Smith have been good scoring 13 of the teams 28 goals.It is the secondary scoring that will have to get better for Flin Flon to start vaulting up the standings. 12 Bombers are still looking for their first goal of the season.

 

This is an important win which will help the Bombers keep pace with Laronge who upset Melfort Friday night for their third win of the season. Flin Flon remains 1 point behind Laronge for third in the Sherwood Division with a game in hand and a record of : 2-5-0-2.

 

The Bombers will focus their attention on Melville and Yorkton as they travel there for a pair of games on the weekend. Both Friday and Saturday's games will be on 102.9 CFAR and flinflononline.com starting with the Murray GM Coach's Show 8:15 both nights.

 

This should be some great hockey with all these teams playing desperate and trying to turn their seasons around. Melville has only 1 win with the Bombers picking up 2 and Yorkton with 3, 2 at the expense of Melville. A very good opportunity for the Bombers to move up the standings , so don't forget to listen in.