Sioux Lookout Bombers sweep the Fort Frances Lakers, advance to SIJHL semi-finals

Tim Brody - Editor

The Sioux Lookout Bombes have punched their ticket to the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) semi-finals by completing the four-game sweep against the Fort Frances Lakers.
The Bombers defeated the Lakers 7-3 on March 22 in Game 1 of the quarter-final series and crushed the Lakers 9-0 on March 23 in Game 2 at The Hangar (Sioux Lookout Memorial Arena). 
The series then shifted to The Ice For Kids Arena in Fort Frances where the Bombers blanked the Lakers 3-0 on March 28 in Game 3, going on to complete the series sweep by defeating the Lakers 4-1 on March 29 in Game 4.
Bombers Head Coach Carson Johnstone felt the team played well on the road but didn’t have their best game of the series in Game 3, “But the guys just kind of did little things well and the stuff we talked about as a team, to execute even though we didn’t feel like we had our energy, we still did. So, I think that’s why we had success, we committed to some things that we talked about in our game plan. That was very good.”
He said the team just tried to build on those things in Game 4 of the series.
“Overall, it was good to come out of there and get the series finished and come out of there without any injuries to show for it.”
In their second year as a franchise, this is the Bombers’ first time making it to the second round of the playoffs.
The Bombers were defeated by the Wisconsin Lumberjacks in a game 7 heartbreaker last year in the first round of the SIJHL playoffs.
Recalling that series Johnstone said, “We had two chances to finish the series, so even though you’re up three-nothing, doesn’t matter, you still have to win four, so for the guys to actually finish it off and get that fourth game win, it felt really nice.”
The Bombers are still awaiting the official word on who they will play in the semi-finals, but Johnstone preparations are underway, “Playoffs are always a long grind, you’re playing a lot of hockey in tight spaces, back, to back, to back, four and five and six nights, so to have a little extra time and getting the early win in the series is huge. The guys are going to have a couple of days off and now we’ll get back on the ice and just get prepared for our next series.”
Asked what the team will be working on, Johnstone shared, “Just keep adjusting our defensive zone and making sure we’re on the right side of pucks and not losing people. Some of these teams we’re going to play as you go deep in the playoffs are going to be a little bit more offensively skilled, so we just want to make sure that we’re not getting sloppy and that we have good habits in the defensive zone.”
Looking back on the series against the Lakers, Johnstone said, “If you look through the lineup, everybody chipped in, our depth really showed in that series and I’m hoping that continues in the next series.”
Johnstone said the support from the Bombers’ fans has been huge and he expressed his thanks.
The Bombers will have home ice advantage in their semi-final series as they continue their quest for the 2024 Bill Salonen Cup.