The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Junior 'A' hockey action took to the road on Wednesday as the Flin Flon Bombers met the Battlefords' North Stars part way down the Hanson Lake road and played a game in Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan. In a way, it was fitting that the Bombers met them part way down the highway, as Flin Flon came out flying, almost like they were so fired up they just could not wait for the North Stars to make it to the Whitney Forum, so they raced out and played them down the road. The teams played through a scoreless first period, as they spent a lot of time feeling each other out and getting used to the smaller ice surface. Each team had a couple of power play opportunities in the first period, but goaltenders Paul Reimer of the Bombers and Brent Walker of the Stars stood their ground. Flin Flon call up Ryan Cosgrove scored his first SJHL goal three minutes into the second period, with Andrew Skrabek and John Iron assisting. Jimo King gave Flin Flon a 2-0 lead with a short handed goal at 13:55 from Bob Graham and Kyle Holmes. With the Bombers in penalty trouble, Steve Makway scored a power-play goal while the North Stars had a two man advantage at 14:38, and Brock Acorn tied the game at 16:22, again on a power play. Goaltender Paul Reimer had to bring his best game to the third period, as the Bombers were out shot 17-8 in the final frame, but it was Joe Gori who scored to give the Bombers the upset victory. Gori swung at a loose puck while falling to the ice, and beat Walker to the puck, scoring at 12:22 from Derek Blais and Derek Gallagher to win the game. It was Reimer's fifth win of the season, and the Bombers' 14th, as they improved to 14-27-12-3, and remain three points ahead of the La Ronge Ice Wolves for fifth place in the Dodge Conference, with two games in hand. With a win, the North Stars would have moved ahead of the Humboldt Broncos for first place overall in the SJHL. They remain one point off the pace with one game in hand, and three games left in the season. After Thursday night's game in Flin Flon, the Bombers will have three remaining contests. They will host the Melfort Mustangs on Sunday, February 29, before ending the season with a home-and-home series with the La Ronge Ice Wolves in March. The Bombers will be in La Ronge on Wednesday, March 3, before ending the season with a game in Flin Flon on Friday, March 5. Editor's note: Thanks to Shane Connell, who was in Pelican Narrows on Wednesday night, and provided the intro to this story as well as some commentary on the game.
