Sioux Lookout, ON – A special treat for Bombers fans with Hockey Fights Cancer and Physician Appreciation Night combined with a Bombers win over the Lakers on playoff-eve. The Bombers took to the ice in special purple and lavender trimmed white jerseys that had all been pre-sold as part of a fundraising campaign in support of local Cancer care.
Tegan Neuman got the Bombers on board early. Capitalizing on a turnover in the neutral zone, Neuman and Bahm entered the zone 2 on 1 and Neuman opted to shoot and beat Brendan Stroble less than five minutes into the first frame. Bombers captain, Lucas Trimarchi would add another at 6:40 on a one-timer from the slot, assisted by brothers Connor and Blake Burke. The score was 2-0 Bombers after 20 minutes.
The second period was a back-and-forth affair with plenty of scoring chances for both teams. The only goal of the frame came on the power play for the Lakers at 17:05. Forward Dylan Wedward took advantage of a rare occurrence of a spawning and out-of-position Jake Manners. That goal brought the Lakers within one goal at the end of the second period.
Fresh off the Injured Reserve list, Bombers forward Graeme Patrick got the jump on Lakers in the third, scooping up a loose puck in the slot and backhanding it in to a yawning cage behind Stroble who had overcommitted on the play and found himself way out of his crease. Fort Frances would force their way back into the game at 8:08 of the third. Dylan Wedward weaved his way into the zone and beat Manners clean on the short side for his second of the night. However, Mitch Daines’ power play goal at 15:50 gave the home team a little breathing room and re-established a two-goal lead for the Bombers. The buzzer sounded the end of the game and regular season with the Bombers up 4-2.
Jake Manners and Brenden Stroble played solid games for their respective teams, each of them making some solid stops and each with a couple of heroic saves.
The Lakers have a first-round date against the Dryden GM Icedogs in the upcoming playoffs. The Bombers’ third place finish earns them home ice advantage in the first round. They will face the Wisconsin Lumberjacks first in their inaugural quest for the Bill Salonen Cup.
Photo Credit: Jesse Bonello/Sioux Lookout Bombers