THUNDER BAY – Both the Fort Frances Lakers and Sioux Lookout Bombers head into the Superior International Junior Hockey League playoffs looking to make some history.
The Bombers lost their debut in last year’s quarterfinals to the Wisconsin Lumberjacks while the Lakers franchise last won a playoff round in 2018.
Forward Brady Krentz feels having a healthy squad in time for the post-season is beneficial.
“We just got forward Emerson Evans back in the lineup, which has been a big boost for us,” Krentz said. “Evan Kabel also looks really good. The guys that were sick previously have all recovered and are ready for the playoffs.”
The Bombers are relatively healthy heading into the playoffs.
Captain Nolan Palmer said that a collection of moments throughout the regular season stand out to him.
“The 13-game winning streak earlier in the season brought our team together and really started to create that buzz about the Bombers,” added Palmer. “It’s been a lot of fun playing in front of our fans. Playing at home in front of them contributes to our success.”
The Bombers finished five points behind the regular season champion Kam River Fighting Walleye, sporting a record of 35-10-2-2.
The Lakers completed their regular season with a 12-31-4-2 record.
“One game that sticks out to me this year is our win two weeks ago against the Bombers,” Krentz recalled. “I thought our team played really well with everyone contributing. It was a huge boost for our team.
“There are a lot of guys that have had good years, including forwards Landon Lowes and Magnus Pearson. They are relied upon heavily in big situations and play big minutes for us.”
For Palmer, he points to the role that forwards Ty Lone and Owen Cotter have played throughout the season.
“Ty Lone has had limited games for us this season, due to health reasons, but has been a warrior for us,” Palmer mentioned. “Owen Cotter is the only Bombers player to play all regular season games and is one of our most consistent players.”
It’s been a long time since Sioux Lookout and Fort Frances met in a Junior ‘A’ playoff series.
Back in 2009 the former Sioux Lookout Flyers lost the best of five quarterfinal to the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres three games to none.
The Flyers would drop out of the league after just three games in 2012-2013 while the Sabres would rebrand themselves as the Lakers for the 2009-2010 season.
“The Bombers have a high-flying offence with some good scorers and depth that we need to be aware of,” Krentz added. “We need to play good defensive hockey and trust our systems. Our coaches always prepare us properly so it’s up to us to go on the ice and execute. Our team is feeling confident and ready to get it done in the playoffs.
Palmer noted that every team has a chance to win it all, and playoff hockey is much different than the regular season.
“The Lakers are a young team that have shown they will play a full 60 minutes of hard-nosed hockey,” Palmer mentioned. “Our goal all year has been to win the Bill Salonen Championship. We must take these playoffs game by game and shift by shift. Our focus to the small details and sticking to our game plan will allow us to have team success.”
The Bill Salonen Cup winner will represent the Superior International Junior Hockey League at the Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont.
Head to Head
Oct 13: Lakers 0 @ Bombers 5
Oct 14: Lakers 3 @ Bombers 4 (SO)
Dec 1: Lakers 3 @ Bombers 4
Dec 2: Bombers 3 @ Lakers 2 (OT)
Jan 16: Lakers 2 @ Bombers 5
March 8: Bombers 1 @ Lakers 3
March 9: Bombers 6 @ Lakers 2
The Bombers won six of seven head-to-head contests, outscoring the Lakers 28-15
Series Schedule
Fri March 22: Lakers @ Bombers 7:30pm
Sat March 23: Lakers @ Bombers 7:30pm
Thurs March 28: Bombers @ Lakers 7:30pm
Fri March 29: Bombers @ Lakers 7:15pm
TBD: Lakers @ Bombers 7:30pm IF NECESSARY
