Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Completing a four-game sweep on the road against the Yorkton Terriers, the Flin Flon Bombers have broken a curse that has lasted for 33 years.
This was the fourth appearance in the SJHL finals for the Bombers in the last five years, and they finally broke the streak with a 2-0 win on the road to earn their second Canterra Seeds Cup.
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The Terriers were ready to protect home ice, and forced both teams into a defensive first period. Both teams were held off the scoresheet through the first two periods, despite plenty of opportunities thanks to back-and-forth penalties.
Reid Arberry and Daniel Morozov stepped up to play heroes in the third. At the 2:38 mark, Arberry on the rush from the right side slowed up to let Morozov crash the net. Arberry fired a shot, and Morozov tipped it in for the game’s first goal.
Then, with some four-on-four thanks to staggered penalties, Arberry held the puck as the third man in on the rush once again, but this time he made a move around a defender from the right wall and in towards the slot. From there, Arberry made a great pass across the grain to Morozov, who hammered the puck home at 9:44.
For the rest of the period, the Terriers pressed on, but even with the goaltender pulled the Bombers still managed to fend off the attack long enough to maintain the 25-save shutout for Charlie Tritt.
It’s the first SJHL championship for the Flin Flon Bombers since 1993. The team had a ton of local talent trying to bring a championship to their hometown. For the players, that included the likes of two-year Bomber Wyatt Stinton and four-year Bomber Joey Lies.
Then there’s head coach Mike Reagan, who has been at the team’s helm for 19 years and has led the team to the finals in six seasons, including four of the last five years. Reagan has been waiting since 1997, the first of four seasons he played for his hometown team, to bring home a second championship to Flin Flon.
“It’s a whirlwind,” he said. “It doesn’t feel real. All I know is that I’m so proud of these guys and so proud of the community the we come from, and our fans. So happy for the city of Flin Flon.”
Bombers radio broadcaster Rob Hart, who has been the voice of the team since 1997 at various radio stations, was not on the broadcast when the game ended but was instead on the ice, and as the handshake line was forming the Bombers’ long-time coach and long time broadcaster finally got a chance to celebrate their team’s championship.
“It’s unbelievable. I mean he’s put his heart and soul into this organization as well,” said Reagan. “Him and I have been together for a long time, and he deserves this just as much as the players do.”
The championship seemed to be a perfect, storybook ending, as the victory landed on the same day as Reggie Leach’s birthday. The 76-year-old Leach had a 13-season NHL career with the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings, and his No. 9 jersey is retired in the rafters of the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon.
