Jr. Trappers thump Eskis

North Bay's Tyler Peters (12) is challenged by Abitibi's Kealey Cummings (24) during third period NOJHL action Sunday afternoon at Memorial Gardens. The Jr. Trappers defeated the Eskimos 9-1. (© DENIS DUBOIS, 2013)

The North Bay Jr. “A” Trappers (31-7-3-3) had a five goal second period, en route to the convincing 9-1 win over the Abitibi Eskimos (12-27-0-3) on Sunday afternoon.

There were seven different goal scorers for the Trappers. Trevor Hunt and Graham Pickard scored two a piece, while Tyler Peters, Brennen Dubchak, Tait Seguin, Duane Wainman and Brandon Janke added singles.

The win puts the Trappers ahead of the Soo Thunderbirds by six points, although the T-Birds have the game in-hand, being played tonight at home against Blind River.

The Eskis continue to collapse further down, sitting in the basement of the NOJHL after their 10th straight loss, and out scored 42-12 in their last four contests overall. They have six games remaining and sit one point behind Elliot Lake. They are also still only four points back of fifth place as well. The Trappers play against these three bottom teams to finish the season.

“They’re struggling and fighting too for themselves for a playoff spot,” said Trappers head coach Tom McCarthy of Abitibi, “They’re only a point or two away, wherever they’re sitting in the standings so every game’s important to every team. It’s not about the other team and who we’re playing, we have to keep working on the things that have given us success, we have to polish those things, we have to utilize every situation game-wise or practice-wise to try and put ourselves in that situation to make the right decisions. We’re trying to continue to build trust in each other and if we’re not going to do the little things that we have to do, no matter the score of the game, then we won’t have that trust when the game is tight, when it’s necessary so we can’t get off track, we can’t look at anybody lighthearted, we have to, if anything, look at them a little more difficult and really execute and polish what were trying to accomplish as a team.”

The Eskis fought and were in it for the first period, only surrendering the two goals.

“The first period was kind of sketchy,” said McCarthy, “I thought we tried to run and gun a little bit and were always looking at the puck and go, like were going to score a goal and therefore, we weren’t watching our man, we were watching the puck more often, we weren’t playing good defense in our end zone and when you play good defense in our end zone, that’s what gives you those offensive chances and that’s what gives you those odd man rushes our of your zone.”

Midget “AAA” Trapper call up Peters notched his first goal in the junior ranks, a loose puck in the slot that he wired home and opening the scoring at 4:34.

Holliday tied the game at 6:54, he was alone, sneaking in behind the defense and put in a one-timer by Trapper starter Dustin Hummel, getting his first start since January 13.

“I think both goaltenders have to get in on these games,” said McCarthy, “It might lean a little farther towards Doddsy playing three of the (four games remaining), maybe two, but we’ve gotta get in all the game time we can all get in right now so we’ve got a memory for when the playoffs come around because you never know who is going to be needed or used , depending on how the circumstances go.”

Dubchak crashed the net at 7:18 and put the puck home before toppling over Eskis starter Jeremy Laux to give the Trappers the lead.

“We weren’t diligent at all (in the first),” said McCarthy, “We put some attention to it in between the periods and obviously, coming out in the second, the biggest part wasn’t about scoring four or five goals, it was making sure they don’t and them only getting four shots in the second period shows me that we can put a little more trust back into how were supposed to play defensively.”

Pickard extended the lead at 5:11, a great effort coming from behind the net and towards the front of the goal.

Hunt found an open slot at 7:44 and beat Laux up high for the 4-1 lead.

Seguin was left alone in the offensive zone and he made the Eskis pay at 13:40 to continue the blowout.

Just under two minutes later, Wainman got control of a puck off an offensive zone face off and beat Laux with a quick shot

A minute later, Janke finished an excellent shift, finding room to skate in the offensive zone and towards the goal. He deked out Laux and put a backhander in and it was 7-1.

Going into the third, the Trappers didn’t lose focus and kept their pace at a high tempo.

“We have some trigger words and we have some words in there that we work on or we’ve talked about all year and one is trust,” said McCarthy, “If I can’t rely on you as a hockey player or as a line mate or as a defense partner or as a goaltender to do what you’re supposed to do, then that’s when things go array and that’s when things start running around, that’s when guys start compensating for lack of other people’s efforts and the trust breaks down so if we can start building on those things that are very important as far as the foundation of a family and all those things that are important, that’s what we’re trying to establish right now, that’s what we need to have so that we can look next door in our dressing room and say ‘Hey, your doing your job, that’s awesome.’ and that forces me to do my job and if we all get off our jobs and start doing things that are outside of the box, then that’s how things get scrambled and that’s when you put yourself in a position to give the other team a chance to get back in the game.”

Hunt and Pickard got their second of the game each in the third period. Hunt finished a great passing play in the offensive zone on the door step at 5:41, while Pickard rang a shot off the post and in at 7:32 to round the scoring.

The Trappers will continue playing the Abitibi Eskimos for their next two contests, the first taking place on Saturday, March 2 in Iroquois Falls and then the next night on March 3 at the Gardens. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.

Game Notes
-The attendance was 501.
-12 different Trappers registered points in this game, including the seven goal scorers. (Kyle Arenson, Dan Carter, Connor Gilmartin and Samuel Blanchet with two assists, while callup Cole Filiatrault nabbed a single helper.
- Brennen Dubchak and Tait Seguin both recorded their team leading 20th goals of the season.