Jr. A Trappers make statement; Thump Wolves 7-2(Video)

If Tuesday night’s game was a preview of things to come for the Sudbury Jr. Wolves, they had better go back to the drawing board. Trappers veteran forward, Dan Frawley scored two goals in North Bay’s 7-2 win over their first-round playoff opponents.

The two teams meet again Sunday night at the same venue (Memorial Gardens) for Game 1 of their NOJHL playoff series. Frawley said this game could be a sign of things to come.

“I think we showed them that we’re going to be relentless out there,” Frawley said. “We’re not going to take it easy on them. We put up some seven goals on them tonight – playoffs might be a little bit closer – but we showed them that we’re going to come out hard at them every game.”

Head Coach, Ian Swalucynski wasn’t so quick to praise his team’s effort in the lopsided win.

“Nobody in the (locker) room was happy with the end result,” Swalucynski said. “We didn’t play a good third period – we let them have too many shots, and gave them too many opportunities.”

After North Bay’s 13-2 drubbing of Manitoulin on the 21st of last month, Swalucynski said Frawley is the type of player he wants on his team during the playoffs. With the playoffs starting on Sunday -- and in a game versus the same team they open the post-season against – the 21-year-old, displayed some of what his coach spoke of that night.

“My game isn’t pretty,” Frawley said. “I’m not a dangler, or a sniper. I just take the puck to the net, try to jam it home and shoot it hard…It’s going to take a lot of our guys to do that in the playoffs – we’re going to have to win with garbage goals.”

Swalucynski said #19’s strong play began long before Tuesday night.

“The last three games I thought he played well,” Swalucynski said of Frawley. “He’s getting all his goals from about five feet out, and that’s the way he plays…he’ll have a good playoff for us if he does that.”

Some have suggested the Trappers could get in trouble with the Jr. Wolves by looking past them and preparing for Abitibi who will face the Royals in the opening round. Frawley doesn’t think that will be the case with North Bay as they have some older players who can lead the way.

“Some of the veteran leadership we’ve got we told the guys not to overlook anything and to just take it one game at a time, because if you overlook one game you might end up losing that game,” Frawley said. “Just try to play your game and play your role, and do the best you can.”

Brodie Barron, who has been playing defence as of late with Nick Laporte away on suspension, also had a big night with a goal and a helper, as did defenseman Todd Hellyer. Justin Dicks, Dan Zawacki and Morgan Rudiger each added a goal apiece in the win.

Game one of the East-Divison semi-final gets underway at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night at Memorial Gardens. The two teams will alternate home games throughout the 7-game series every other night.