By James Brohm
Sioux Lookout, ON – The Sioux Lookout Bombers take the seventh game of the season series and climb right behind Ice Dogs in the league standings. Special teams were important in another physical affair with its fair share of hits and total of 60 penalty minutes.
The Ice Dogs jumped out to an early lead on a 4 on 4 goal scored by James Hooton on a Max Rath rebound at 7:34 into the game. That was it for scoring in the first period although there were plenty of chances for both teams but tight checking defensive play and some great stops by both goaltenders kept the score at 1-0.
On to the second period. The Ice Dogs gave up a breakaway on their third power play of the game and Bombers’ forward Owen Riffle capitalized for his second shorthanded goal in as many games. However, just 36 seconds later, on the same power play, Dryden’s Jack Cullen notched his first of the season. The Ice Dogs would keep that one goal lead for the rest of the frame and headed to the dressing room up 2-1.
Dryden started the third period shorthanded and were able to kill the penalty but with tired legs on the ice, the Bombers kept possession in the Ice Dogs’ zone and Teagan Neuman would find Ty Bahm who ripped a wicked wrister just under the bar to even up the game at 2-2. Similar to the last time these two teams met, Nolan Palmer put a shot on net from the neutral zone that hogtied Dryden goaltender Eric Clark but was ultimately called off for offside. And again, just a couple seconds later Bombers Captain Lucas Trimarchi tapped in a puck centered from the corner that would count and give the Bombers their first lead of the night at 4:18. The home team held on the rest of the way for the win.
With the win, the Bombers climb into 3rd place in the SIJHL, tied for points at 30 with the Ice Dogs. The Ice Dogs maintain second place with a game-in-hand over the Bombers. Eric Clark turned aside 29 of 32 in net for the Ice Dogs. Jake Manners, who was the busier of the two, stopped 51 of the 52 shots he faced for the win.
Both teams are back in action this weekend as the Ice Dogs head South down highway 502 to face the Fort Frances Lakers in a weekend series and the Bombers head North on Highway 105 to play a couple games against the Red Lake Miners.