The King Wild were snake bitten, literally.

When the games really matter down the stretch, the King squad are feeling the pressure of the higher-placed teams and their bite.

King’s latest defeat was to the Bradford Rattlers, who sunk their teeth into the Wild quite furiously, shutting them out 7-0 at the Bob Fallis Sports Centre Sunday.

Things didn’t start off well, even before the game, with nearly the whole Wild team traveling to Bradford’s other arena, the Bradford and District Community Centre, as originally advertised (including the media).

Though, for the members of the Wild who did arrive to right arena, they didn’t stay long. Goaltender Phil Bogner was booted from the Bob Fallis centre after a confrontation with an arena manager.

Once the puck was dropped, the Wild looked sharp, skating well and appearing aggressive until midway through the first period, when Bradford defenceman Liam Ayoub fired a point shot that beat starting goaltender Kyle Parker. Before the end of the period, Brad Schuler sped toward the Wild goal, throwing the puck in front of Parker, as Sam Odell was able to tip it in to give Bradford a 2-0 lead. Wild Head Coach Paul Hampton was ejected from the game after arguing with one of the referees at the end of the period.

It got worse from there, as forwards Villiam Knap and Adam Parker doubled the Bradford lead after two periods.

The third was more of the same tiresome laziness. Early in the frame, Kyle Parker iced the puck directly on the stick of the Rattlers’ Adam Parker, who made no mistake, beating the goalie shorthanded. About a minute later, forward Nikolai Drogaytsev was given space, time and about a foot in front of the net, pushing the puck past Parker. Ayoub would fire his second of the game with 5:40 remaining in the game.

Also in the third, Wild forward Dan Douglas fought Rattlers defenceman Erek Ollson and they were both ejected. Wild forward Marc Fortin and Adam Parker also scrapped, though Fortin appeared opposed, as he didn’t throw a punch until Parker threw five or six. After all this the ref didn’t call the so-called fight, so Fortin was forced to throw some punches. They were both ejected as well, late in the third.

“He’s got to defend himself,” explained Wild Assistant Coach Sheldon Friske. “Is he suppose sit there and just take punches?”

It was the same ref who kicked Hampton from the game, so it appeared the officiating had it out for King or maybe they just beat themselves.

“We didn’t have everybody at practice,” said Friske. “So, it’s clearly a commitment factor.”

Though the Wild had been competitive the entire season against Bradford, winning two of three before the Sunday tilt, it is obvious the long season/not enough players factor is taking its toll on the Nobleton-based franchise. The Rattlers, on the other hand, have players brought in solely to play hockey and are able to practice sometimes eight times a week, which means two sessions a day on occasion. Each team had scored 15 goals each in the three previous games.

“Obviously this is disappointing, since we’ve competed hard against Bradford all year,” said Wild captain Steve Wicklum. “So to go from that to getting shutout is frustrating.”

King didn’t go pointless this weekend though, picking up four points, due to the Ville-Marie Dragons and Tamworth Cyclones both suspending operations recently.

Now, the Wild (23-15-2, 48 points) have to use their last three games of the season to try to get near to the form that had them start the season, 16-8-2. The team went on a 7-7 stretch, though only in the standings since three of those victories are via a Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League folding. They next play Saturday at the Dr. William Laceby Community Centre and Arena against the first-place Innisfil Lakers (29-5-1, 59 points) at 8 p.m. Sunday, the Wild play the fifth-place Toronto Canada Moose (17-21-1, 35 points) at the Teen Ranch in Caledon (neutral site), starting at 7 p.m. Finally, the Wild have a rematch against the second-place Rattlers (27-6-1, 55 points) in Nobleton, Monday (Family Day) at noon.

Captain speaking up: Captain Steve Wicklum has proven he’s a leader all season long and hopes he can keep his team on course down the stretch.

“It will be a challenge, but it’s something we have to do,” said the Charlotte, N.C. native. “I’ll take all the responsibility for how we’ve been playing if it means we can get back on track. I’d love to see this team play the way we were in September, October and November (15-7-2 during those months).”

Absent report: Defenceman Colin Shearing was said to be sick and Taylor McComb (broken hand), whose cast is off, should start practising with the team soon. Forward Tom Coukos (ruptured tendon in hand) should be back soon, while defenceman Alec Austin (hernia) is now written off for the season. Forward Nick Leggieri was also absent from the game.