Trappers and Blazers tie one on

Three's company! The North Bay Trappers ran into penalty problems for the third straight game and are now on the brink of elimination as hosts of the Provincial Midget AAA tourney. Photo by Chris Dawson.

The North Bay Trappers didn't do themselves any favours as the Kanata Blazers scored 12:46 into the third period as the two winless teams finished at a 2-2 draw.

Kyle Radigan and Kody Carnevale scored for the Trappers who are now tied for last place in the Central Region Midget AAA championship with a disappointing 0-2-1 record.

Head coach Larry Keenan was visibly frustrated after the tie which will force the host team to win from here on out in their final three games against London, Toronto and Cumberland.

“I assess that we played worse today than we played yesterday because we played a lesser team and the reason why we didn’t play better we were very very undisciplined,” said Keenan about his team which took nine penalties in the draw against a team which had lost in their first two games of the tournament by a combined score of 15-2.

“I’ve been preaching to these guys all year,” added Keenan.

“Maybe it’s my fault, maybe I should have sat some guys and suspend them maybe I should have made them stay at home for the undisciplined play okay but you hope they can play through it and they learn.”

Kanata got on the board first on the powerplay as Trevor Harding took a pass standing alone at the hash marks and slid it through the pads of Patrick Beaudry to give Kanata a rare lead in the tournament at 11:38 of the first frame.

Later in the first, Marc Senecal picked up a loose puck in the crease and fired one home to even things up but the goal was disallowed as the whistle had blown prior to the puck entering the net.

The Trappers did finally get on the scoresheet in the second period as Darcy Vaillancourt hit a streaking Kyle Radigan with a beautiful cross ice pass and the Trappers pinching defender tipped it into the open cage on the powerplay to even the score at 1-1 near the seven minute mark of the second period. Kody Carnevale was originally credited with scoring the goal.

Carnevale, who’s been arguably the best player for the Trappers in the tournament, gave his team the lead shorthanded early in the third period as he was sent in alone and slid one underneath Blazers goalie Adam Morden to give the Trappers the huge 2-1 lead.

After the goal the Kanata Blazers appeared to be a beaten team but the Trappers allowed the Ottawa area team to even the score after some sloppy play in their own end allowed Zach Macmillan to capitalize on a turnover and deflect a shot through Beaudry’s legs to even things up at 2-2 at 12:46 of the third period.

The Trappers had a late powerplay in the final two minutes but they were unable to beat Morden again.

Carnevale, who was named the Trappers game star, believes his team came into the game a little overconfident.

“I think we did come into this game a little too lackadaisical and didn’t take them quite seriously enough,” said Carnevale.

While Keenan was disappointed with the effort, he did take time to give credit to Marc Senecal, Kyle Radigan and Kody Carnevale for their efforts so far this week.

“Maybe some people say I pick on other guys but those guys they don’t always play well but they give 100 percent every night and that’s all you can ask, they make mistakes but they don’t make mistakes from a lack of trying or stupidity,” said Keenan.

Now the Trappers know the margin for error is getting finer by the moment.

“From here we have to win three straight, simple eh,” Keenan said with a smile.

The Trappers next game is 5 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at the Gardens as they face the London Jr. Knights.