NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, Dec. 9, 2013
North Bay slips past Blind River 5-4
NORTH BAY – Eric Champagne tallied twice, including the game-winner with 12:48 remaining, and set-up one more, to help propel the North Bay Trappers to a 5-4 victory over the Blind River Beavers Monday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at West Ferris Arena.
Shawn Tessier and Duane Wainman, who was reacquired by North Bay earlier in the day in a deal with the Espanola Riverman, both dished out three assists apiece to aid the Trappers’ offensive cause in the triumph.
Matthew Neault and Jacob Boisvenue each had big nights for Blind River in the contest as well registering four points apiece in the setback.
The Beavers took a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes with goals by Neault and Jake Zarzycki, which were wrapped one by North Bay’s Colton Sansom.
The home side then took a 3-2 into the third period after getting markers from Champagne and Henry Yawit.
After Boisvenue tied it 3:52 into the final frame Trappers’ captain Ryan Demyen bury his league-leading eighth power play goal two minutes later to put North Bay in front. Demyen also had two helpers on the evening for a three-point night.
Champagne then popped in the eventual winner as he finished off the work of Wainman and Tessier at 7:12.
Blind River connected on a man advantage opportunity with five and half minutes to go courtesy of Brandon Major, but that’s as close as they would get as final buzzer sounded.
Evan Cormier made 29 saves to record the win while Jessie Morin saw 31 shots fired his way in defeat.
With the victory North Bay improves to 11-15-0-4 on the season while Blind River dropped to 5-25-0-1.
NOJHL play resumes Wednesday on two fronts as the Trappers head to Sudbury to take on the Nickel Barons while the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners will be in Iroquois Falls to tangle with the Abitibi Eskimos in a pair of 7:30 p.m. starts.
