Miners edge Bombers 3-2 in overtime to win SIJHL playoff series

Tim Brody - Editor

The Sioux Lookout Bombers and Red Lake Miners battled it out over seven incredibly close games, so close that the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) playoff round one series was decided by a single goal, in favour of the Miners.
Game 7 of the best of seven SIJHL round one series was played in front of a packed house at the Hangar (Sioux Lookout Memorial Arena) on April 1.
The Bombers took a two goal lead into the third period with a goal from Brodie Wood in the first period as well as a goal from Sage Roberts in the second period.
Nathan Dann scored twice in the third period for the Miners at 13:32 and 19:20 to tie the match 2-2 and send the game to overtime.
Dann compelted the hat trick, and broke the hearts of Bombers fans, scoring the game winning goal 1:44 seconds into the overtime period for a 3-2 miners victory.
Miners Head Coach/GM Lee Stone said it was a very close series, “No question. It was a battle all the way. We said right from day one that this game was going to be won in the last five minutes of the third period in Game 7. We were wrong. It went to overtime. We knew how good they were and we knew how good we had to be to beat them and the truth is, it really could have gone either way. Kudos to those guys. They’re a really good hockey club.”
Commeting on his team coming from behind to win the game and the series, he said, “We’ve done it a couple times in this series. Obviously that helps when you have that familiarity. We just kept tellilng them, if you get one, you’re going to get two. Obiously we got a little lucky with the first one but once that momentum was turned there, we talk about Lady Mo, we call it, momemtum on our side, obvioulsy we took advantage of that and the boys really played with a lot of heart.”
Nathan Dann, said of his effort to advance his team to the second round of the playoffs, “We’ve come back from behind many games this series and we knew we could do it. We just had bring it together and finish them off.”
Describing his game winning and series winning goal, he said, “Got a good pass from Landon van Engelen there and had a lot of speed going into the shot and it just fell for me.”
The Bombers thanked their fans, billet families, sponsors, volunteers, and players the next day on social media.
“While this was not the result we were hoping for from this season, we are remain committed to bringing the Bill Salonen Cup back to Sioux Lookout,” the Bombers organization shared, adding, “We are looking forward to another exciting season of Bombers hockey in September. We can’t wait to have each and every one of you cheering along with us as we begin our quest for our second championship.”