The Flin Flon Bombers are the only team playing at this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 Centennial Cup in Estevan, Sask., which didnSA国际影视传媒檛 win their respective league title to qualify.

But thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not stopping them from proving they belong.

The Bombers, representing the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, have clinched a playoff spot at the Canadian Jr. A Championship. They did so thanks to a 2-1 shootout win over the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League on Tuesday evening. That gave the Bombers a record of three wins and one loss but they could win their division if both the Kings and Summerside Jr. Capitals from the Maritime Hockey League both lose in regulation time on Wednesday.

The Bombers are the only team not in action as theySA国际影视传媒檙e on a bye.

YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Ethan Anstey has played in all four Bombers games so far and he said the shootout win over Dauphin was a nerve-wracker.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was doing a lot of praying on the bench,SA国际影视传媒� he said following the game on Tuesday. SA国际影视传媒淭hose two goals we got in the shootout? Those were two of the prettiest goals ISA国际影视传媒檝e ever seen.SA国际影视传媒�

Both teams ended up tied at 1-1 following regulation time and sudden-death overtime solved nothing, though Flin Flon had the vast majority of chances in the extra frame to finish it.

SA国际影视传媒淩espect to DauphinSA国际影视传媒檚 goaltender, for sure,SA国际影视传媒� said Anstey. SA国际影视传媒淗e made some unbelievable saves in overtime.SA国际影视传媒�

The Bombers kicked things off on May 19 against the Soo Thunderbirds, champions of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, and came away with a 6-1 win. They followed that up by beating the Ottawa Jr. Senators of the Central Canada Hockey League two nights later, 3-2, in overtime.

Anstey said things couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have gotten off on a better foot.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat gave us plenty of confidence and it helped us get into it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to be cocky because we saw what happens when you take a game off.SA国际影视传媒�

Yes, something does happen when you take a game off: you end up losing to the Capitals, 4-1. The Bombers opened the scoring with Anstey drawing an assist on that marker but it was all Capitals from that point.

Anstey said the team just didnSA国际影视传媒檛 show up for that one.

SA国际影视传媒淲e got an early one but we just didnSA国际影视传媒檛 come to play that game,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think we got a bit too comfortable being in the situation we were in and our coach (Mike Reagan) told us not to let other teams decide if weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to get into the playoffs.SA国际影视传媒�

The Bombers will have at least two days off now and their next game depends on how the standings finish up. If they end up first, they get a bye through the quarter-final and will play in a semifinal on Saturday. If they end up finishing second or third, they play a quarter-final on Friday.

No matter how it ends up, Anstey said heSA国际影视传媒檚 having the time of his life playing in this tournament.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is the biggest tournament ISA国际影视传媒檝e ever played in,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e never had an experience like this and everything ISA国际影视传媒檝e done in hockey is all worth it because of this moment. All the hours, all the practices SA国际影视传媒� ISA国际影视传媒檝e been waiting for something like this my whole life.SA国际影视传媒�