Trappers edge Gold Miners for 1st win of 2013

KIRKLAND LAKE, ON - Connor Gilmartin and Brennen Dubchak scored shorthanded goals less than a minute apart as the North Bay Jr. Trappers defeated the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 4-1 at the Joe Mavrinac Community Centre Saturday night.

Justin Schneeberger opened the scoring for the Trappers and newcomer Beau Orser recorded his first goal as a Trapper into the empty net.

Jean-Michel Naud scored the only goal for the Gold Miners on a late 2nd period penalty shot.

The win improves the Trappers record to 19-3-3 and vaults them ahead of the Soo Thunderbirds; both teams with 44 points but the Trappers have 2 games in hand.

"Obviously every game from now on is the biggest game of the year and in order to be the best you have to compete each and every night and that's what we did tonight," said Trappers forward Brennen Dubchak about the road win.

Trappers head coach Tom McCarthy was impressed with the effort after such a long layoff.

"We showed one of our teams' characteristics tonight the relentlessness and ability to never quit," said McCarthy.

"We scored two short handed goals with great individual efforts by GilMartin and Dubchak. Our attention to detail and defense was the difference in tonights 60 minutes. An empty netter iced a great Team effort victory."

The Trappers are back on the ice Sunday evening as they play the second half of the home-and-home series against the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.

Game time is 7 pm at Memorial Gardens.