About the Author.: Rob Hart is an award winning veteran sports broadcaster. Rob broke into radio in 1988 with stints in Prince Albert, Regina, Dauphin then back to where it all began Flin Flon to broadcast his much beloved home-town team The Flin Flon Bombers. Rob has been the voiceof the hockey club since 1997. Rob also has a passion for all the local sporting events in town and in the area. He often reports on the happenings of the 2 high schools Hapnot collegiate and Creighton, as well as minor hockey, soccer and other sporting events important to the people of northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
The Flin Flon Bombers fresh off a first place finish in the Bauer conference last season, feel they have some unfinished business after a quick exit in the first round of the play-offs to the eventual SJHL champion Laronge Ice-Wolves. The Bombers who finished 37-17-1-3 good for 78 points , were first for just the second time since re-entering the league in the mid 80s -- the other was 2001 the year they hosted the RBC. Coach Reagan feels they have enough to do it all over again.
The Bombers will return 11 players from last years squad inlcuding 6 forwards, 4 defensemen, and 1 goaltender. The Bombers will need good production from Devin Stiller who was second in team scoring last year with 56 points including 24 goals. Stiller should have a legitimate chance at the SJHL scoring championship this season. The Bombers will also be counting on Matty Lecours to have a good year as he returns with 18 goals and 47 points from last year.
On the back end The Bombers will be looking to local product and third year player Tanner Korchinski to lead the way, Korchinski was a member of the all rookie team 2 years ago and has always been a good physical presence. Patrick Sitko returns as maybe one of the most under-rated defensemen in the league with numbers that may not jump out at you (3 goals and 27 points), but has always got the job done and is one of those guys you want on the ice at key times, due to the fact he makes very few mistakes and has good composure during pressure filled times.
Coach Reagan is excited about adding 2 players from The now defunct BCHL franchise out of Williams Lake. Danny Merth a 19 year old forward who picked up 28 points last season including 10 goals and 18 year old defensemen Stefan Virtanen who had 2points as a 17 year old last year. Both players stand at over 6 ft and fit into coach Reagan's style of being a bigger more physical team this season.
Reagan is very optimistic about this year and feels he has a very strong contingent of veteran leadership and also feels this is the best crop of rookies since he took over the club 3 seasons ago. The real question mark is in goal as for the first time since I can remember the Bombers will be starting the season without a proven number 1. Klynt Spencer comes in with a chance to be number one, he was 6-4-2 with a save percentage of .867 behind all star Matt Weninger last year. Spencer struggled with confidence down the stretch, but did seem to play better at the end of the season and will battle with a good crop of rookies for the number one job this year.
One thing is for sure The Bombers will be bigger and younger with 12 new faces all standing at over 6 ft tall. Main camp opens Sept the 3rd and will be competitive with 60 players being invited. The Bombers first exhibition game will be Sept the 6th when the MJHL'S Swan Valley Stampeders come to town, with the regular season starting September the 17th and 18th with a home and home against Melfort. See you at the rink very soon.
