Stars outshine Trappers (Updated)

Following their weekend sweep of the Rayside Balfour Sabrecats last weekend, in which they clinched the Great North Midget League title, Soo North Stars coach Mike
Hall voiced his displeasure with his team’s performance.

After a pair of weekend victories over the North Bay Trappers this weekend, Hall had similar sentiments from the previous weekend.

The North Stars managed to score a pair of wins, by scores of 3-0 on Saturday and 3-1 on Sunday, over North Bay in a series that had little effect on either team’s position in the GNML standings.

Both teams have settled into their positions in the standings heading into the playoffs. The North Stars sit in first and the Trappers in third with the Sudbury Nickel Capitals sandwiched in between.

During both games, the Trappers kept things tight before the North Stars managed to break the score open to pick up the victories.

On Saturday night, the Trappers held the North Stars offense at bay for much of the first two periods before Jerry Petingalo scored with just over six minutes left in
the second period.

The goal was Petingalo’s first since returning to the Stars lineup after breaking his leg early in the season. Derrek Coccimiglio put the North Stars ahead 2-0 midway through the third period and veteran forward Brad DiCandia sealed the win with just over seven minutes remaining. Ryan Dube picked up the shutout.

On Sunday, the Trappers opened the scoring late in the first period as Kody Carnevale beat Ryan Dube for the first North Bay goal of the weekend. After a scoreless second period, things began to go wrong for the Trappers in the third.

Dan Vernelli got the North Stars on the board at 4:27 to tie the game. A short time later the North Stars got a break. With the Trappers on a power play, North Bay winger Darcy Vaillancourt was handed a pair of minor penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct by referee Scott Thibeault.

With the teams playing four-on-four hockey, Tyler Luikkonen put the North Stars ahead, giving the home-side a 2-1 lead. Mike Rivard sealed the victory for the North Stars with a power play goal at 15:09.

"We could compete for a while (with the North Stars)," said North Bay coach Larry Keenan. "(Saturday’s) game I though was a washout. I thought it was a well-played game between two clubs that I thought didn’t have anything to go for. I wasn’t happy with the way we played in the third period of either game. (Sunday) we competed but then we became undisciplined and took selfish penalties. It you want to compete against good teams and take penalties like that, you’re hurting the team."

"It was the same result (as last weekend)," said North Stars coach Mike Hall of his team’s effort. "This team doesn’t know what it takes to compete at an All-Ontario level. The biggest thing is, even though we only gave up one goal all weekend, if it weren’t for Ryan Dube, we could have been down 4-0 (Sunday) in the first period.

This week in practice, we’re going to have to remind them what it takes to compete at this level."

Both the North Stars and Trappers wrap up their regular seasons with road games next weekend.

The North Stars will be in Timmins on Saturday and Sunday while North Bay plays in Kirkland Lake on Saturday and Sudbury on Sunday afternoon.



Story by Sootoday.com's Brad Coccimiglio