North Bay a win away from NOJHL title

Press Release

SAULT STE. MARIE – Stephen Langford notched both goals and Greg Dodds stopped all 19 shots he faced to help lead the North Bay Trappers to a 2-0 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds Thursday in game 4 of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League finals, for the Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy, at Essar Centre.

With the triumph the Trappers head home with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to wrap-up the NOJHL championship Sunday afternoon when game 5 goes at 2 p.m. at North Bay’s Memorial Gardens.

The visitors carried the play early on and were rewarded with the game’s opening tally as Langford had a number of whacks at the puck from the top of the crease before jamming it past Steven Dombrosky in the Thunderbirds net at 8:50, in a session that saw North Bay out shoot the Soo 15-6.

As the middle frame was winding down, Langford struck again netting his second of the night, late in the stanza, as he buried his third of the postseason at 18:02 to put his side up 2-0 after 40 minutes.

Dodds and a tight North Bay defensive effort in front of him did the rest as Trappers handed the Thunderbirds their third consecutive playoff defeat after the Soo had won 11 straight postseason contests dating back to last year’s NOJHL title run.

The setback marked the first time all season the T-Birds have dropped three in a row and was also the initial instance they have been shut out on home ice in 2012-13.

They dropped identical 2-0 scores on road at North Bay Nov. 18 and at Kirkland Lake Dec. 14.

Dombrosky faced 31 shots in losing cause for the Soo.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)