Trappers streak ends at four

Trappers Joel Senecal and Tyler Hummel cycle the puck down low during first period action Sunday afternoon.

The North Bay Trappers saw their four game win streak come to an end Sunday afternoon as the Valley East Cobras mounted a third period comeback for the 10-7 victory.

The Trappers looked to be on their way to a fifth straight victory heading into the third period with a 7-4 lead, but the first place Cobras had other plans. It was the Alex Fiset show in the third period that erased the three goal deficit in the Cobras first win over the Trappers. Fiset scored five times in the third to add to his seven goal performance.

The Trappers dominated the play for the first two periods scoring four times on the power play during the second. A tired Trappers team looked to have emptied the tank in the second, leading to the third period collapse that saw the Trappers take seven minor penalties.

“It goes back to the focus. You lose focus, get frustrated and don’t play the system. That will happen to any player. Especially when they are intense as they are. We have a bunch of leaders on this team that are really intense and hate to lose. I am glad that they hate to lose but they still got to keep their focus and not take the penalties,” said head coach John Couch.

Couch also elaborated that the staff addressed the team during the second period, telling them that they couldn’t let their guard down against the talented Cobras team.

“Whenever you get a lead like that going into the third period, sometimes it plays a little bit of a mind game with the kids where they think they have the game already won. We tried to address that between periods but obviously it didn’t work. It’s a learning experience. They got a top team in Valley East who is phenomenal and anytime that you have lead on them you can’t back down,” said Couch.

In the loss, Trapper Jordan Scott collected two tallies, while Joel Senecal, Curtis Meggison, Tyler Hummel, Liam Berti, and Nick Huard had one a piece.

Goalies Marc Veilleux and Shawn Bailey each let in five goals in the loss, while splitting the duties between the pipes for the Trappers. Mark Wardell went the distance for the Cobras earning the win.

The Trappers will be on the road for the next two weeks before returning home for a Thursday, November 16 game against the Rayside Balfour Sabrecats.