NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Friday, April 12, 2013
Thunderbirds take game 1 of NOJHL final
NORTH BAY – A trio of second period tallies helped propel the Soo Thunderbirds to a 3-2 victory over the North Bay Trappers Friday evening in game 1 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League finals for the Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy at Memorial Gardens.
Following a scoreless opening period the Thunderbirds got on the board 43 seconds into the middle stanza just moments after a North Bay penalty.
Adam Ritchie extended the lead to 2-0 six minutes later as he beat Trappers starter Greg Dodds with an unassisted effort.
The Trappers got on the board at 16:01 of the session as Brennen Dubchak notched a man advantage marker to pick up his seventh point of the postseason.
Sault Ste. Marie would answer back however with just 44 seconds left in the period as Anthony Miller potted the eventual game-winner.
North Bay got a late goal from Connor Gilmartin in the third to pull within one, but that’s as close as they would get as time ran out.
NOJHL rookie of the year Joel Horodziejczyk turned aside 29 of 31 shots he faced to pick up the victory while Dodds faced 23 shots in a losing cause for the Trappers.
With the win the Thunderbirds have now won nine consecutive playoff contests in the 2013 postseason as well as 11 overall dating back to last year.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven affair goes Sunday at 7 p.m. at Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
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: April 14 @ Sault Ste. Marie 7 p.m. (Essar Centre)
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)
