By James Brohm
Sioux Lookout, ON – The Wisconsin Lumberjacks unable to contain the Bombers’ firepower. The Hangar was filled with a sellout crowd for the second night in a row.
Sioux Lookout started the game right where they left off at the end of last night’s game. The Bombers were flying right out of the gate and winning puck battles in every zone. Once again the Trimarchi/Burkes line got the party started. A Tic-Tac-Toe play at 3:38 finished by Blake Burke, with assists by Connor Burke and Lucas Trimarchi put the home team up by one early. Wisconsin battled hard and managed to get several great chances but Jake Manners would rise to the occasion and keep his team ahead by a goal. Tegan Neuman got his first of the playoffs streaking into the zone and firing a wrister that found its way through Kyler Lowden’s five-hole. Just 14 seconds later, Graeme Patrick notched his first of the playoffs, assisted by Mitchell Daines and Tait Howell.
Fans were sent into an absolute frenzy when Ty Bahm sprung Tegan Neuman who mesmerized the Liumberjack’s netminder with his signature stickhandling and shovelled a backhander past him for his second of the night. The end of the first period featured some confusion as shot by Zach Carson was originally waved off as no-goal by the officials on the ice and the goal light was not illuminated but the goal judge. However, after the period was complete, the referees conferred with the linesmen and goal judge and reverse the call on the ice. As a result, Carson was awarded a goal after-the-fact.
Officials added 37 seconds to the second period, essentially rolling back the clock to the point where the refs decided that Carson’s goal was scored. The Bombers continued to dominate through the second period. Lucas Trimarchi exploded on a breakaway through neutral ice and into the offensive zone staying a stride ahead of the Wisconsin back checker. With the space and time he created with his speed, he was able to beat Lowden on the glove side at 8:45. The Bombers had regained their four-goal lead. Ty Bahm added two more to the lead at 13:52 and 19:53. The home team held a solid 7-2 lead after 40 minutes.
The third period featured a bit of a parade to the penalty box from both teams. At one point the number of players on the ice was reduced to 3 on 3. However, even with the power plays for each team and more open ice to work with, there were only two more goals scored in the third period. Dillon Phillips and Tait Howell would score for their respective teams.
Jake Manners stopped 52 of 54 on the night and was named the game’s first star. Kyler Lowden weathered the storm for two periods but was replaced at the beginning of the third period by William Forrester.
Games 3 and 4 will take place in Spooner, Wisconsin on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Photo credit: Jesse Bonello/Sioux Lookout Bulletin