The Bombers mounted a big third period comeback Tuesday night in Nipawin, but the Hawks had the last laugh, beating Flin Flon 5-4 in overtime.
Three goals in 22 minutes to start the game would dig a hole too deep for the Bombers to climb out of, giving second-last Nipawin a chance to get one over on Flin Flon.
Nipawin opened the scoring less than four minutes in with a point shot off a faceoff that made it through a maze of players and past Kenny Marquart. Hawks rookie Van Taylor got credit for the goal, getting the final deflection that took it past the Bomber 'keeper. That lead was extended by Mason Karakochuk, who got the puck following a Bomber turnover, fired it at Marquart from distance and got it through into the net. The Bombers' usual roaring offensive attack was held silent through 20 minutes, down 2-0 after 20.
The Hawks continued flying high early in the second, with Konnor Watson getting on the board with a bad-angle shot in close, taking a feed by Karakochuk behind the net and catching the defence napping - but it wouldn't take long for the Bombers to wake up.
The Bombers took over the rest of the second period, allowing barely any shots on goal while forcing pressure in the home team's end. Shot after shot came in on Nipawin goalie Gage Roberts, who fended most of them off, but not a shorthanded effort by Keefe Gruener. Having one man down has hardly been an issue for Gruener this year, who broke in with Ryder Ringor, took a feed in the offensive zone and beat Roberts short-side - Gruener has six shorthanded goals this season, more than four entire SJHL teams, including the Hawks, have all season. The goal cut the lead to 3-1 entering the third period.
There were fisticuffs late in the second. Wyatt Stinton caught Nipawin's Will Whitter with his head down, nailing him with a big, clean open ice hit that Hawks captain Finley Radloff took immediate exception to, jumping Stinton and ripping his helmet off. The two both dropped their gloves and wrestled to the ice in a short bout, both were sent to the dressing room for fighting and Radloff got an extra unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
More fisticuffs came in the opening moments of the third, when Cole Tanchuk and Karakochuk got tangled up by the Bomber net and things escalated from there - Karakochuk doffed his gloves first, Tanchuk's fists got more use and the officials broke things up before it got too ugly. Both teams were now down their captains, Karakochuk had his first-ever Gordie Howe hat-trick and the band played on.
Nipawin took advantage of a Bomber penalty to extend their lead. Ashton Tait, back in the lineup after almost having his knee wrecked in a game against Flin Flon last month, got his revenge. Tait fired a one-timer past Marquart and restored the three-goal advantage.
The Bomber offence locked in for the final stretch, with a three-goal deficit to make up and just under a period left to do it. Koen Senft got the ball rolling by tipping in a slapshot by Liam Hunks, cutting the lead to two. The offence kept pouring it on Roberts and the Hawks, with Hunks getting a goal of his own, a powerplay wrister through traffic with 6:29 left on the clock. The lead was now cut to one - and the Bombers weren't done.
Just over a minute later, a shot by Hunks was fumbled by Roberts, possibly his first mistake of the night - Ryder Mucha jumped on the puck, sitting unprotected in the slot, then pushed it home, tying the game. The Bombers had clawed their way back to make it 4-4 and had chances at the lead, outshooting the Hawks heavily late, but couldn't find that last goal in regulation time - overtime would be needed.
In three-on-three OT, the Bombers would make pushes. Koen Senft had a partial break but couldn't corral a bouncing puck. Ringor and Piccininno had a rush that wouldn't lead to much, followed by a Hunks shot that was deflected away, then another chance in close that Roberts would save.
Back the other way, Will Whitter, back from the big hit by Stinton, got a breakaway but Marquart made the stop. The Bombers pushed back, forcing a turnover and hemming the Hawks in, but after a frantic start, the Bombers started easing up pressure. Carter Anderson took a whack that almost beat Marquart, but he kicked it away. Nipawin continued pressing, with Whitter getting a second breakaway, pokechecked by Marquart. The puck bounced into the neutral zone and, with the Bombers' coverage falling apart, Whitter came in on a third breakaway - and the third time was the charm, just barely getting it past Marquart and in. Flin Flon's comeback was all for naught.
Roberts stopped 32 shots on the night for the win - Marquart didn't face many shots, making just 13 saves on 18 shots, but most of Nipawin's chances were from dangerous spots.
With two games left to play - a home-and-home this weekend in La Ronge - the Bombers now have 79 points, stuck firmly into second place in the standings with no chance of either dropping or climbing. La Ronge and Kindersley are stuck in a dog-fight for the last spot in the playoffs, with La Ronge currently ninth but still with a chance of overtaking the Klippers in the eleventh hour. A single loss by the Ice Wolves or a single win by the Klippers would clinch for Kindersley, meaning the Bombers could play spoiler in La Ronge Friday night - and do so in what could be the final game the Ice Wolves play in the Meg Hegland Uniplex, which they will be leaving for next season.
