North Bay Junior Trappers Announce NOJHL Semi-Final Home Games

The North Bay Junior ‘A’ Trappers have secured their home dates for the league semifinal round of the NOJHL playoffs. The Trappers have been idle since their regular season finale when they doubled the Elliot Lake Bobcats 6-3.

North Bay earned a 1st place – 1st round playoff bye, by virtue of their first place efforts in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League 2012-13 regular season. 

Two of the opening 3 rounds have been decided as both Kirkland Lake and the Soo Thunderbirds swept their opening series’ in 4 straight games. The Trappers won’t know who their opponent is until Wednesday night after game 7 of the Elliot Lake vs Sudbury series finishes up in Copper Cliff, Ontario.

If Sudbury wins, the Trappers will open Saturday, March 30th and Sunday, March 31st for games 1 and 2 at the Gardens against the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.  Game time for both home contests will be 7 pm. If Elliot Lake should complete the upset, the Trappers will face the Bobcats starting on very same Easter Holiday Weekend dates at home.

Director of Operations Tim Clayden commented on the team layoff and the Trappers possible semi-final opponents, “we have had lot’s of time to get rest and prepare for the upcoming battles ahead, there is no doubt that Coach McCarthy will have his team prepared, the next 6 weeks will not be easy on any of our players, as each and every night the team’s we are about to face from here on in will be very good hockey teams, if they were not, they wouldn’t be here playing at this time of the year” said Clayden “Ryan Leanord and his staff have done a fantastic job in transforming his first year NOJHL franchise into being very competitive at just the right time of the year, and in Kirkland Lake, President John Hammel whom seems to be the forgotten man deserves a lot of credit for being one of the original founders of bringing back junior ‘A’ hockey to Kirkland Lake, through tough times and now in these very exciting times for his young hockey club, Johnny Hammel deserves all the credit in the world in my books for standing by his team and their organization’s vision. The NOJHL playoffs are about to become both very exciting and very challenging for all involved”

Regardless of the outcome and or their opponent, the Trappers will play game 3 and 4 on the road the following weekend.

The following is the Trappers Semi-Finals opening home dates:

Game 1: Saturday, March 30th  7 pm start          @ North Bay

Game 2: Sunday, March 31st 7 pm start             @ North Bay  

Game 5: Monday, April 8th 7 pm start                  @ North Bay     
(if necessary)

Game 7:  Thursday, April 11th 7 pm start             @ North Bay    
(if necessary)