By Gary Moskalyk
Thunder Bay, ON – Sioux Lookout overcame a 3-0 deficit to score three in the third and added a shorthanded goal in overtime to stun Thunder Bay 4-3 to take a three-games-to-none stranglehold in their semi-final series. Cobe Delaney tied the game, and assisted on the game winner.
Edison Weeks his first of two five seconds into a Thunder Bay power play at 0:36 of the first period for a 1-0 North Stars lead. Cameron Dial and Sam Skillestad assisted on the tic-tac-toe effort off the draw. The Stars added two more in the second frame. Remenda got his 6th of the playoffs, sliding a one-handed backhander past Jack Osmond on Connor Larrett’s rebound at 10:23. Weeks recorded his 6th on a wrister at 14:04.
Despite being outshot, the Stars were in control. Trever Sanderson scored for the Bombers at 7:12, sniping from the slot past Keenan Marks for his third of the playoffs to chip a goal off the lead. Thunder Bay held the score at 3-1 for the next 10 minutes. Blake Burke deflected Josh Greene’s point shot at 17:14 to tighten the game to 3-2.
At 17:38 Sanderson took a penalty for Sioux Lookout. Down a man and a goal, Carson Johnstone pulled Osmond for an extra attacker. Delaney struck at 18:56 on a point shot with Osmond out for a scant seven seconds to knot the score at three.
Incredibly, Nolan Palmer took a penalty for Sioux Lookout at 1:05 of overtime. But 45 seconds later the Delaney and Owen Cotter found themselves on a 2-on-1. Delaney teed one up for Cotter and Cotter one-timed his 5th of the playoffs to cap off a remarkable turn of events.
The win gave Osmond his 7th win of the playoffs. Osmond stopped 32 of 35. The Bombers outshot Thunder Bay 45 to 35 with Marks stopping 30+ before the Bombers got their first tally.
The North Stars are facing the ascent of Mt. Everest in overcoming the three-game-to-nil deficit. Then again, so were the Bombers in this game, down 3-1, with 2:46 left and two penalty kills yet to come. The 4-3 Bomber decision marked the first time the visiting team has won in ten meetings between the two clubs this season.
Thunder Bay was 1-5 on the power play, killing off all six Sioux Lookout chances. Both teams had six minor penalties each. Tristen Bear of Thunder Bay was assessed a game misconduct at 3:31 of the first period for a hit from behind.
Delaney had a goal and two helpers, and Cotter added an assist for the Bombers. Game four is Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., at the Gardens. Attendance was 716.