Trappers’ Seguin sinks Thunderbirds with OT winner in game 2

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE

Release Date: Sunday, April 14, 2013

Trappers’ Seguin sinks Thunderbirds with OT winner in game 2

SAULT STE. MARIE – A Tait Seguin goal from in close 14:58 into the first overtime session lifted the North Bay Trappers to a 2-1 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds Sunday in game two of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League championship series for the Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy at Essar Centre.

With the win the best-of-seven affair is now tied at 1-1 heading into game 3 Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at North Bay Memorial Gardens.

Despite a scoreless opening period, it was an action-packed session showing the form why these two clubs finished one-two atop the NOJHL regular season standings.

Taking advantage of a turnover in the North Bay end, Sault Ste. Marie opened the scoring five minutes into the middle stanza as Anthony Butorac beat a Trappers’ defender to the net and snapped the puck past Greg Dodds to make it 1-0.

Cole Klippenstein quickly set-up the equalizer for North Bay on the power play at 7:54 as he calmly fed a pass in front to a waiting Duane Wainman who one-timed a blast from the slot into the open side on a helpless Steven Dombrowski, who had no chance on the nicely executed play.

The highly entertaining action contest continued throughout a goalless final period with each side having opportunities at on the ice.

In the extra session it was the Trappers who generated most of the scoring chances and they were rewarded with Brandon Janke driving hard down the right wing before shovelling the puck in front, which was stopped by Dombrowski, but Seguin jammed home the rebound before the Soo netminder could corral it for the game-winner.

Dodds picked up the triumph finishing up with 26 saves while Dombrowski faced 34 shots in a losing cause.

The North Bay victory put the brakes on an 11-game postseason winning streak the T-Birds had on the go, which dated back to game 4 of last year’s NOJHL final.

NOJHL Playoffs: Round 2
Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy
Thunderbirds lead best-of-seven series 1-0

Game 1: Soo 3 North Bay 2
Game 2: North Bay 2 Soo 1 (OT)

Game 3: April 16 @ North Bay 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Gardens)
Game 4: April 18 @ Sault Ste. Marie 7:30 p.m. (Essar Centre)
Game 5: April 21 @ North Bay 2 p.m. (Memorial Gardens)
Game 6*: April 22 @ Sault Ste. Marie 7:30 p.m. (Rhodes Arena)
Game 7*: April 24 @ North Bay 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Gardens)