Flin Flon will move on to the SJHL semifinals, shutting down Humboldt in Game 6 with a 5-0 victory.
The game early on was a goaltender’s battle, with both goalies Dazza Mitchell and Matt Kieper in fine form. Both made big stops through the first 20 minutes when called on and kept the game scoreless through one.
The red light came on for the first time just a minute into the second and it was the Bombers doing the scoring. Luke Lepper put a shot through traffic that beat Mitchell blocker side, making it 1-0 Flin Flon. The Bombers got that crucial second goal soon after, catching a tired Broncos team after a penalty kill - Koen Senft sprawled out to steal away a puck from a Bronco defender, Joey Lies gathered the loose puck and buried it five-hole, getting his first Bomber playoff goal at a huge time.
Flin Flon pushed heavily on some mid-period powerplays, thanks to a pair of silly penalties by defender Tre Fouquette, but couldn’t finish. The Bomber attack pushed hard like they did in Games 3 and 4, putting shots on Mitchell heavily, most coming from the outside or from distance - Mitchell, playing what could be his final junior A game, stood tall.
Humboldt wouldn’t go quietly, throwing the body effectively. Orin Olson almost checked Landon Alexander into the Bronco bench, leading the Elgar Petersen Arena crowd to cheer hard. Flin Flon still entered the third up 2-0.
The Bombers could still win or lose the game in the third period, with a desperate Broncos team ready to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the Bomber net. They tried that to start the period, but once again, discipline came back to bite the Broncos - Flin Flon killed an early penalty, then converted with a powerplay soon after, with Ryder Ringor banging one home to make it 3-0 Bombers.
Humboldt got chances, including a late powerplay, but kept shooting themselves in the skate, getting no shots with the man advantage. The Broncos pulled Mitchell with about five minutes left on the clock, then had to put him back in soon after. With the net empty and just under four minutes to go, Flin Flon clinched it - Landon Alexander fired a shot toward the yawning cage that got knocked in by Leo Seitz, making it 4-0 and all but sealing the deal.
Humboldt fought hard late, but the Bombers added one last dagger, with Reid Arberry adding a fifth goal on a rebound in the final minute just to make sure the Broncos were done.
Kieper picked up his third shutout of the series, making just 23 stops to do it, while Mitchell did what he could in one last heroic performance, making 45 saves on the night.
The game ended the junior A careers of eight Broncos players, who will age out of junior hockey - Mitchell, forwards Maddox Amaral, Cade Kennedy, Boris Kofman and Landen Stromme and defenders Fouquette, Liam Rodman and Orin Olson. Broncos fans saluted this year’s squad and the graduating following the game, including a long ovation for Mitchell, without a doubt the team’s series MVP.
The Bombers’ opponent in the next round will be the Weyburn Red Wings, who survived a late scare from Battlefords in Game 6 Monday night to win 2-1 and move on. Melfort will play Yorkton in the other league semifinal. Dates for games have not been officially announced, but will likely begin next weekend in Flin Flon and Melfort.
