Minnedosa Tribune
PARTY TIME
Bombers
While the season ended sooner than hoped, it did not overshadow what the Minnedosa Senior Bombers accomplished this winter.
In a league packed with experienced, hard-nosed senior hockey teams, the Bombers finished the regular season in second place with a superb 16-3 record, collecting 32 points and a .842 winning
DARRELL NESBITT/MINNEDOSA TRIBUNE
The Minnedosa Skating Club’s year-end show saw skaters of all ages ready to rock, as they wrapped up the year with their ice show titled ‘Rock & Roll Party On Ice’ on Wednesday, March 11 at the Sunrise Credit Union Centre. Numbers in the Canskate aspect of the Minnedosa Skating Club boasts well for the future of the club as the two-hour show featured individuals, duets, groups, and a synchro performance.
Minnedosa
percentage, trailing only powerhouse Killarney. That is the mark of a team that came to compete every night and gave its community plenty to cheer about.
Over the course of the season, the Bombers proved to be one of the league’s most balanced teams, combining steady scoring with strong defensive play. They scored enough to win and defended well enough to stay in nearly every game that mattered. A second-
place finish in a league like the Tiger Hills Hockey League is earned, not gifted.
Their playoff run came to a halt in the semifinal round against Hartney, who swept the best-of-five series in three games. The scores told a tough story: a 3-1 loss in Minnedosa on Feb. 28, a 4-3 loss in Hartney on March 2, and a 5-1 loss back in Minnedosa on March 7.
Senior hockey can be cruel that way. A strong season does not al-
ways guarantee a long playoff run.
Still, to judge the Bombers only by that final series would be to miss the bigger picture.
There were bright individual performances throughout the season. Forward Owen Riffel cracked the league’s top scorers with 18 goals and 33 points in 16 games, finishing seventh overall in regular-season scoring. Teammate Shane Jury was not far behind with 31 points in 18 games, an-
other strong offensive showing for Minnedosa.
In net, the Bombers were well served by a trio of goaltenders. Jayson Argue posted a strong regular season, while Devon Fordyce also delivered quality minutes between the pipes. Jackson Bachewich appeared in limited action and posted excellent numbers in his time.
SEE LOCAL PLAYERS , PAGE 2
Carolyn Arndt Branch Manager
DONALD BERGER Minnedosa Tribune