OLIVER PAIPOONGE – It’s déjà vu all over again for the Kam River Fighting Walleye.
For the third straight Bill Salonen Cup, the Fighting Walleye have dropped the opening two games of the Superior International Junior Hockey League final to their opponents.
After coming away with a 5-3 victory at the Norwest Arena a night earlier, the Sioux Lookout Bombers turned in an impressive 6-2 performance Thursday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven affair.
Despite the loss, Fighting Walleye head coach Jesse Messier felt like the score didn’t truly indicate how well his team played.
“There were points where we were pouring it on,” Messier said. “You’ve got to tip your cap to their goaltender (Jack Osmond). He stood on his head in those first two periods.
“It was a pretty good back-and-forth first period, but we definitely had the edge and could have been up at least one for sure. We didn’t bear down on a couple of chances but I was happy with our play early on.”
Osmond, who improved his post-season record to 10-1 with a 2.30 goals against average and a .943 save percentage on Thursday, was sublime for the Bombers as he turned aside 45 shots for the second straight evening.
The Fort McMurray, Alta., product made his biggest stop in the second period as he turned aside Jett Mintenko on a penalty shot attempt that would have tied things up at one.
“That’s definitely a step above everything that we’ve seen him from him this year,” Bombers bench boss Carson Johnstone said. “We don’t win tonight without Jack. He shut the door and that’s what you need from your 20-year-old goalie in the playoffs.”
While his coach felt like Osmond had reached another level with his play, it was just another night at the office for the netminder.
“I’m preparing myself the same for every game,” Osmond said. “There’s not a lot of changes with the way I’m playing.
“During the regular season, I prepare myself like it’s the playoffs. This is just another game for me with how I treat everything.”
As Osmond was stymieing the Fighting Walleye’s offence, his teammates brought forth a balanced attack at the other end of the rink.
Jonah Smith led the way with two goals, while Owen Riffel and Connor Burke each recorded a pair of assists.
Alex Lucas and Blake Burke had a goal and an assist each for the Bombers, who also got offensive contributions from Dayvan Bull and Trever Sanderson.
“It all starts with the play in our own end,” Johnstone said. “We’ve talked a lot as a team about playing good on defence as that allows us to get those offensive opportunities.
“If you don’t play good defence, you don’t come up with enough pucks. If you are in possession, you create more turnovers and generate more offence. I’m really happy with how our guys have committed to that defensive style over the last two nights.”
Fighting Walleye forwards Carter Poddubny and Carter Nailen solved Osmond in the third period on a pair of five-on-three power play goals, but the game had been long decided by that point.
Ryan Doucette recorded two assists to lead the way for the hosts on offence. Ashton Sadauskas recorded 20 saves and was pulled in favour of backup Travis VanderZwaag in the final minutes.
Both teams travel to Sioux Lookout this weekend for a pair of contests. Game 3 takes place at 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, with a rematch set for Sunday at 4 p.m. EDT.
If the Fighting Walleye earn at least one win at the Sioux Lookout Memorial Arena, a fifth game would be held at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday in Oliver Paipoonge.
A sixth game, if required, is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT on April 25 in Sioux Lookout.
The Norwest Arena would host a seventh and deciding matchup at 7:05 p.m. on April 27.
ICINGS: After falling behind 2-0 in last year’s final, the Fighting Walleye rattled off three straight wins over the Thunder Bay North Stars before eventually capturing the title in seven games. In 2022, they dropped three in a row to the Red Lake Miners, who won the league in a six-game affair.