Jr. Trappers get by Beavers in Espanola

Jr. Trappers forward Corbin Bean (#19) goes to the Beavers net during first period action of the Neutral site game which took place in Espanola Friday night. Photo courtesy Sheri Commission.


ESPANOLA, ON - The North Bay Jr. "A" Trappers (25-6-3-3) rallied for two quick goals 14 seconds apart after going down, en route to the 3-2 win over the Blind River Beavers (10-23-2-4) on Friday night.

The game was moved to Espanola to promote the town hoping to get an NOJHL team as early as next season. Trappers head coach Tom McCarthy had no complaints on the crowd, that was 622 strong.

"A little smaller building here obviously, but the atmosphere was excellent tonight here in Espanola," he said, "It felt like a hockey game, it felt like it from the time we drove into the arena until obviously now when we're leaving, as the kids are signing some autographs for local guys and local children but the atmosphere was excellent. Espanola was an excellent host, they were very gracious hosts and very humble hosts and we were very lucky and grateful to have been here and been a part of this game of introduction to the town to hopefully bring an organization or a junior team back into Espanola to broaden the (NOJHL)."

Cole Klippenstein, Beau Orser and Samuel Blanchet got the goals for the Traps. Trevor Hunt and Brennan Dubchak got two assists in the win.

"The one thing I thought that we did very well tonight was that we didn't panic," said McCarthy, "We didn't get down or frustrated or anything, we just went right back to work, stayed the course in what we were trying to do, and consequently, we battled back, got a couple quick goals and put them back on their heels a bit."

Greg Dodds won his fourth straight start, making 35 saves and brings his record to 21-5-3 on the year.

"He's solid," said McCarthy, "He doesn't get flustered too much and stays in his net. He can handle the puck well, working very hard and has been with our defensive core so that we all get a little better on our communication and our direction.

"The last four games, there hasn't been a lot of panic in the sense of our own end zone and that has a lot to do with the orchestration and the communication from the goaltender and you can just see that everybody that's on the blue line and back, a lot of attention to our defense and to our team."

The Beavers got on the board first on the power play as a shot in the slot from Tyler Brown at 15:26 found the twine.

Near the end of the first though, the Trappers answered right back with the two quick goals in 14 seconds. First, a rocket from Klippenstein at 18:06 and then Orser sent off a point shot that went through a mess of players screening after the Traps immediately sustained pressure in the zone off the face off.

Moving to late in the second period, Blanchet finished off some good passing in the zone and tapped in a power play marker on the door step and it was a two goal lead for the Trappers.

Samuel Wilbur brought it to within one, a trickling shot that fooled Dodds off a faceoff win in the third, but it wasn't enough.

The Trappers face the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners on Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.