That’s all, folks.
The Bombers gave everything they had on the road in Weyburn in Game 6 and came close, but couldn't bring the series back home, losing 3-2 and seeing their season come to an end.
Weyburn started out hot, but the Bombers struck first. With the puck bouncing around the Wings’ zone around the six-minute mark, Ryder Mucha thwacked a loose puck home past Angelo Zol to open the scoring.
A double-minor for high sticking nearly burned the Bombers right after the goal, but Flin Flon killed the four-minute disadvantage off, thanks to some strong defence and a few huge saves by Matt Kieper. Weyburn kept the pressure up on the Bombers, outshooting them through 20, but Mucha’s tally was the only one heading into the second.
Flin Flon held on for a good chunk of the second, but the Wings would get on the board at the halfway point, with Max Chakrabarti knocking in a powerplay goal. The Wings would then sink a dagger into the Bombers soon after - with Chad Lebeau in the box for a knee-on-knee hit that took out Anthony Piccininno, the Wings would march back down and get a shorthanded marker from Lucas Schmid. In less than a minute of game time, the Bombers went from up by a goal to not only down a goal, but potentially down a key player.
Piccininno returned to the lineup later in the period, but the Bombers’ powerplay could not click during Lebeau’s five minutes in the box, or again with another chance later in the frame. It was Zol’s turn to stand on his head, doing so for long enough to send the home team into the third up 2-1.
If they wanted to keep playing, the Bombers would need to dig deep in the third. They would do just that, with several big chances particularly late in the frame, still down one.
Liam Hunks nearly tied the game, hitting the crossbar and coming millimetres away from tying things up. The Bombers had a late powerplay, pushed on through, but despite high pressure, there was no success.
Then, finally, at the end of the powerplay, a breakthrough - Joey Lies got open and blew home a one-timer past Zol, channelling his older brother’s favourite play during his time as a Bomber, tying the game up with 10 minutes to go.
The Bombers were buzzing late and Weyburn were stuck on their heels. Flin Flon almost got a gift from Jerome Maharaj, who almost scored on his own net late, but Zol made the save when needed. Flin Flon got another late powerplay in the final moments, but couldn’t convert - while Lies’ goal was only seconds away from being a PPG, the Bombers would end the night going zero for six with a man up.
The Bombers’ late push wouldn’t lead to a go-ahead goal. For the third time this playoff, the Bombers would head to overtime - this time, with everything at stake.
Weyburn would get the lion’s share of chances in OT, wearing the Bomber defence down with chances in bulk. Finally, about five minutes in, the Wings sealed it - a shot from the point by Dallen Oxelgren made it through a swarm of bodies and past Kieper, ending the Bombers’ season and punching the Wings’ ticket to the finals.
Zol stopped 41 Bomber shots on the night, moving the team on to the final round and a date with Melfort. Kieper made 38 saves on the night, but despite one of his best performances in a Bomber net, it was in a losing effort.
The loss ends the junior A careers of nine Bomber players - goaltender and league MVP Matt Kieper, who joined the team midseason and immediately cemented his case as one of the team’s best-ever goalies. Defender Liam Hunks, who was picked up from Notre Dame at the deadline, led all Bomber defenders in scoring through playoffs and had more assists than any Red Wings player had points through two series. Cole Tanchuk, ever the defensive stalwart, played four big seasons for the team, wearing the captain’s C for his final season. Tanchuk played 260 games in a Bomber jersey through the regular season, playoffs and the Centennial Cup.
Carter Cormier only played one season as a Bomber, but made his mark, particularly on the powerplay, scoring eight times with an extra man. Cormier’s presence in the corners and in the defensive end helped keep the team in tight games.
Leighton Carruthers, coming to Flin Flon after four years of major junior, was an immediate on-ice leader for the team and a physical presence par excellence. Before catching a rut in the Whitney Forum ice and severely injuring his shoulder, Carruthers was nearly unstoppable in the slot.
There haven’t been many more complete overall players in maroon and white than Keefe Gruener. The team’s leading goal-scorer played through injury and illness in the playoffs and brought energy and the needed spark to help bring Flin Flon back from the brink.
Kylynn Olafson played 200 games as a Bomber, but injuries kept him out of the lineup for much of his final season. Olafson returned to play after months away for Game 5 at home, doing what he’s done best over four seasons - bringing his trademark defensive play to a must-win situation and coming out on top.
Piccininno arrived in camp from Ontario last season with little fanfare, but nobody will forget the Bombers’ Swiss army knife. A tight forechecker, an agile skater and able to score and set up big goals when needed, Piccininno gave no quarter to opponents.
Ryder Ringor led the Bombers in scoring through both the regular season and playoffs, pushing the pace with searing intensity and bursts of speed and edgework. Ringor had a point in every game of the Bombers’ playoff run except Game 6 and led all SJHL players in points through two rounds.
The defeat ends the Bombers’ streak of reaching the SJHL finals, which the team did for the last three seasons.
