SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The Flin Flon Bombers haven’t had a lot of luck on their side through the first two days of the Centennial Cup national junior A hockey championship, and now they’re in a fight for their playoff lives.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champions could get little going against Ontario’s Toronto Patriots on Saturday afternoon, giving up three goals in the first period, another four in the second and going on to drop a 7-2 decision at the 10-team tournament in Summerside, P.E.I.
As a result, the Bombers will need a win over the northern Ontario champion Greater Sudbury Wolves to have a chance at finishing in the top three in their pool and advancing to the quarterfinal.
It was a far different game compared to the 1-0 loss to Quebec in their opener on Friday, as rather than seeing the Bombers control play and badly outshoot their opponents, it was Toronto that was in control from start to finish.
Cole Cooksey, Owen McGuckin and Hudson Cummins all scored for the Patriots in the opening frame before Tommy Karmiris made it a 4-0 game five minutes into the second.
That marked the end of the afternoon for Flin Flon goaltender Charlie Tritt, who gave way to Finn Werner after allowing four goals on 11 shots in 15:47 of work.
McGuckin scored his second goal of the game to make it a five-goal lead midway through the period, and Flin Flon would get on the board not long after.
Ryder Mucha scored the Bombers’ first goal of the Centennial Cup with 1:31 remaining in the frame, but the good times wouldn’t last long. Luciano Bruno scored for Toronto 22 seconds after Mucha’s goal, and Cummins picked his second marker with nine seconds left to give the Patriots a 7-1 lead through two.
Landon Alexander got one back for Flin Flon with 9:58 gone in the third, but the Bombers would get no closer.
Werner finished with 21 saves in his relief effort.
Sam Ward had two assists for the Bombers, Cooksey and Karmiris each had three-point outings for Toronto.
Flin Flon will now have Sunday off to regroup before taking on Greater Sudbury on Monday, with the Northern Ontario crew holding a 1-1 record after falling 8-3 to Toronto in their opener and downing the Truro Bearcats 4-1 earlier Saturday.
Puck drop on Monday is 9 a.m. Saskatchewan time, and you can follow along with all the scores on www.hockeycanada.ca.
