A late-game letdown again ruined an otherwise solid effort by the St. Thomas Stars Wednesday night in LaSalle.
The Vipers struck for a trio of third-period goals to edge St. Thomas 3-2 and halt their four-game winning streak.
A power-play goal by Connor Snedden just 24 seconds into the middle frame and then Jackson Dobbin’s third of the season halfway throught the period allowed the Stars to head into the second intermission with what appeared to be a solid 2-0 lead.
However a pair of goals 40 seconds apart from Nic Pavia and Spencer Lecot five minutes into the third period quickly pulled LaSalle even.
And then Drew Booker on a powerplay with under five minutes remaining clinched the win for the Vipers.
Owen Willmore was yanked from the net twice in the dying minutes to try and secure the equalizer, to no avail.
The win was the third for LaSalle in five outings this season against the Stars.
St. Thomas remains four points ahead of the eighth-place Strathroy Rockets and has a pair of games in hand.
In an odd bit of scheduling, the two teams go right back at it again Thursday night in LaSalle with a 7 p.m. start. myFM will not have coverage of the game.
The Stars return home Friday in a 7:30 p.m. start at the Joe Thornton Community Centre against the second-place Leamington Flyers.
