SIOUX LOOKOUT, Ont. -- The Wisconsin Lumberjacks made franchise history on Wednesday night.
The Superior International Junior Hockey League team got a Game 7, overtime goal from Salvatore Poggiali, his fifth tally of the series, and knocked off the expansion Sioux Lookout Bombers 3-2 to take the opening-round series 4-3.
It was Poggiali's second goal of the tightly contested game.
The Wisconsin forward opened the scoring at 10:38 of the first. Ty Bahm tied the game with 4:31 left in the period and the two teams remained deadlocked at 1-1 through 40 minutes, neither team able to score in the second.
Captain Lucas Trimarchi edged the Bombers out in front at 6:45 of the third, scoring his third goal of the postseason, but Ryder McMillen, who led the SIJHL in scoring during the regular season, forced overtime, beating Jake Manners at 10:46 of the final regulation frame.
Poggiali needed just 3:38 in overtime to net the winner.
Kyler Lowden made 30 saves to lead the Lumberjacks to the series win. Manners was good on 24 of 27 Wisconsin shots.
The Lumberjacks task doesn't get any easier. They'll take on the top-ranked Kam River Fighting Walleye in the semifinal round. The Thunder Bay North Stars will tangle with Dryden in the other semifinal, opening on the road at some point this weekend.
The league has yet to officially set start dates for either series.
