NOJHL Notebook: Week 2 in the NOJHL begins tonight

NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
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Release Date: Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012

NOJHL Notebook: Week 2 in the NOJHL begins tonight

SUDBURY –- Week 2 of regular season action in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League gets underway this evening with a pair of unbeaten clubs taking to McClelland Arena ice in Copper Cliff at 7:30 p.m.

There the host Sudbury Nickel Barons (2-0) welcome the visiting Kirkland Lake Gold Miners. (1-0)

That contest is one of six on the NOJHL docket this week.

After Wednesday’s contest Kirkland Lake heads home to host the Blind River Beavers at “The Joe” while Sudbury travels to Elliot Lake where the Bobcats will go in search of win No. 1 in franchise history.

Both of those games have a 7:30 p.m. start.

The lone game on Saturday sees two teams looking to get on the winning track as the Abitibi Eskimos entertain the Blind River Beavers at Jus Jordan Arena. Puck drop in that one is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Sunday features two tilts as the defending NOJHL and Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion Soo Thunderbirds host Elliot Lake at 7 p.m. at Essar Centre while the first place North Bay Trappers travel to Kirkland Lake to take on the Gold Miners with a 7:30 p.m. face-off.

LEADERBOARD: Week 1 in the NOJHL saw four of the seven member clubs go unbeaten.

Leading the way were the North Bay Trappers who picked five of a possible six points on a season-opening three-game road swing that saw them pick up two wins and a tie.

The newly-minted Sudbury Nickel Barons were solid as well going 2-0 while the Soo and Kirkland Lake were also victorious in their respective home openers in the 2012-13 campaign.

North Bay newcomer Carter Horwitz took an early share of the league scoring lead recording six points in three games. Sudbury’s Darcy Haines lit the lamp five times and added a helper for six points of his own.

Another fresh face in the Trappers line-up in Greg Dodds along with Kirkland Lake’s Chris Komma had memorable opening games in the NOJHL as the two goaltenders both posted shutouts in their respective team debuts.

NOJHL WEBSITE: The new and improved NOJHL website is now up and running.

Found online at www.nojhl.com the new look site provides all the latest news and team information along with statistics, live in-game scoring as well as pay-per-view live streaming of games via FASTHockey.

Powered by TST Media/Sport Ngin, who provides services for a large number of hockey and sports related websites across North America, the site features the latest technology while giving the viewers of www.nojhl.com the ultimate online experience when following the league.

Along with the league website, each of the teams in the NOJHL will also be launching new sites as the season progresses.

2013 DUDLEY-HEWITT CUP: The North Bay Trappers will serve as the host team for the 2013 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A championship tournament.

The five-day event will be held at North Bay Memorial Gardens April 30 through May 4.

It will feature the Trappers along with the champions of the NOJHL, Ontario Junior Hockey League and Superior International Junior Hockey League taking part.

Should North Bay go on to capture the NOJHL championship, then the league finalist will round out the four-team field with a berth to the Royal Bank Cup national Jr. A championship in Summerside, P.E.I. in May on the line.

ON TAP: Upcoming NOJHL games in September.

Sept. 19
Abitibi @ Sudbury 7:30 p.m. (McClelland)

Sept. 21
Blind River @ Elliot Lake 7:30 p.m. (Centennial)
Soo @ Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac)

Sept. 22
Elliot Lake @ Blind River 7:30 p.m. (Community Centre)
Soo @ Abitibi 7:30 p.m. (Jus Jordan)

Sept. 23
Soo @ North Bay 2 p.m. (Memorial Gardens)

Sept. 26
Elliot Lake @ Sudbury 7:30 p.m. (McClelland)

Sept. 28
Sudbury @ North Bay 7 p.m. (Memorial Gardens)
Kirkland Lake @ Elliot Lake 7:30 p.m. (Centennial)

Sept. 29
Kirkland Lake @ Soo 7:30 p.m. (Essar Centre)
North Bay @ Abitibi 7:30 p.m. (Jus Jordan)
Sudbury @ Blind River 7:30 p.m. (Community Centre)

Sept. 30
Kirkland Lake @ Blind River 2 p.m. (Community Centre)

TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTEBOOK

ABITIBI ESKIMOS – A tough start to the season for the Eskimos saw them drop both games they played last week. They fell 6-2 at home to Sudbury Saturday before going on to be blanked 3-0 at Kirkland Lake Sunday. … Jarred Nowry and Zach Innes had the Abitibi goals while Kealey Cummings dished out two assists. … Three of the teams’ next four games will be on home ice before going on to play four straight on the road.

BLIND RIVER BEAVERS – A trio of six-goal games did the Beavers in last week as the club was outscored 18-7 in three setbacks to open the season. … Of the seven tallies the squad had Tyler Brown scored three of them and set-up another. He stands tied for second in the NOJHL in goals after week one while sitting knotted for fifth in points with four. Blind River’s next three games will be played at home. The next four however will see them skate on the road.

ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS – It was not the debut in the NOJHL the Bobcats were looking for last week as they were bounced 8-0 by visiting North Bay Friday. The Trappers tallied five times in an 11-minute span in the first period en route to the romp. … Elliot Lake will go in search of franchise win No. 1 Friday as they host Sudbury. … Six of the Cats first nine games as members of the NOJHL with be staged at home on Centennial Arena ice.

KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS – It was a night of firsts for Kirkland Lake in their season debut this past Sunday. The 3-0 victory marked the initial win in the NOJHL for new head coach and general manager Marc Lafleur. The game was also the first shutout for the organization with Chris Komma posting the blanking in his league debut. … Jonathon Dionne fired the game-winning goal for the Miners with Jordan Briand going on to register a pair of assists. …After playing in Sudbury Wednesday the team then returns home for three straight at “The Joe.”

NORTH BAY TRAPPERS – The 2013 Dudley-Hewitt Cup host Trappers made an early statement in week one picking two wins and a tie on the road. … Carter Horwitz dished out three assists in the blowout win at Elliot Lake before going to add three more points in a tie at Sault Ste. Marie Saturday and a triumph over the Beavers in Blind River Sunday. He has an early share of the league scoring lead… Buoyed by the shutout goaltending of Greg Dodds in game one, North Bay went 82 minutes and five seconds before allowing their first goal against on the season. The marker came early in the second period as the Trappers rallied for a come from behind 3-3 tie at Sault Ste. Marie. … Newcomers Brennen Dubchak and Trevor Hunt both had five-point weekends in their first games in a Trappers uniform.

SOO THUNDERBIRDS – The T-Birds began defense of the NOJHL championship in fine style disposing of Blind River 6-1 this past Friday making a winner out of new head coach Warren Lavoy. The Soo then let a 3-0 second period lead get away Saturday as they had to settle for a 3-3 draw with visiting North Bay at Essar Centre. … The trio of Greg Sartoretto, Matt Zalewski and Adam Ritchie combined for 12 points over the weekend recording four points apiece. … Rookie goaltender Joel Horodziejczyk was solid in his NOJHL debut turning aside 22 of 23 shots he faced in the season-opening triumph over Blind River. … The T-Birds will play all their home games this season at Essar Centre.

SUDBURY NICKEL BARONS – Under new ownership the Nickel Barons are off to a solid start early on scoring a total of 12 times in two games in recording victories by margins of 6-3 over Blind River and 6-2 vs. Abitibi. Sudbury scored twice in each of the six periods they played. … After tallying two times in the league-opening victory last Wednesday, forward Darcy Haines, in the club’s second outing, went one better firing a hat-trick and setting up another for a four-point night. He holds the early NOJHL goal lead with five and sits tied for top spot in points with six. … Haines only had 22 goals all of last season while finishing 19th overall in the league with 48 points in 46 games.