MATTAWA, ON - For the rest of the NOJHL season and the playoffs, the North Bay Jr. “A” Trappers will play their games out of Mike Rodden Arena.
Trappers owner Dave Beauchamp says the support has been amazing through the last three games there, averaging over 300 fans the first couple games. He says they expect over 300 again for their next game against Blind River Friday night.
He adds the people who get forgotten in this are the loyal fans of North Bay and that they weren’t kicked out of West Ferris, it was a mutual agreement between them and the city.
“We had a solid 20 fans. It’s sad we can’t finish the year there,” he said, “(But) it comes down to economics and we can’t afford to play in front of 40 fans. We want to play in front of a crowd and the boys love it and they’re getting healthy and I think we’re going to make some noise in the playoffs.”
On Sunday, the Traps (15-33-0-6) gave up two first period goals en route to a 4-1 loss to the Espanola Rivermen (31-21-0-1) in front of 225 fans.
Chance Thomas scored the lone goal for North Bay. Head coach Zane Neily says a few lapses were important in the game.
“We actually played pretty solid as a team,” he said, “Just some bad bounces but the boys came together.”
Former Trappers Brandon Janke and Brennen Dubchak led the way for Espanola with three points. Each of them scored in the first period before Thomas cut the lead in half in the first minute of the second.
Dubchak added his second of the game in the final minute of Period 2 and Robert Smythe contributed in the third to round out the scoring.
The loss guarantees the Trappers will finish seventh in the NOJHL standings and will face the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in the first round of the playoffs. The Traps haven’t beaten the Miners all year but Neily says that could work out in North Bay’s favour.
“They might come in thinking we’re not a contender when we know we are,” he said, “We’ve never really have been out of a game against them, we always play them pretty tough.”
Friday’s game against Blind River is scheduled for 7:00p.m. at Mike Rodden Arena and they’ll wrap up the season Saturday night in Abitibi.
The Trappers will wear their North Bay jerseys for the remainder of the year, not sweaters bearing the Mattawa Blackhawks, the name they would call themselves if they moved to Mike Rodden full-time in 2014-15.
While Beauchamp admits it’s no secret they’d like to move to Mattawa, there’s still a proper process involved.
“I still need approval from the league and obviously the NOHA before we make any formal announcement that we are leaving,” he said.
“We’re the North Bay Trappers for the remainder of the year. We owe it to the name.”
Game Notes
-Evan Cormier made 30 saves in the loss while Keegan Paulette took the win, making 17 saves.
-Darian Skeoch received two ten-minute misconduct penalties in the second period and was sent off with a game misconduct
