A 10-spot in the third period helped the Langley Junior Thunder to a lopsided victory on Sunday afternoon at Langley Events Centre, routing the visiting Nanaimo Junior Timbermen by a 16-6 final score.
The victory – Langley’s third in the past four games — improved the team to 5-4 while the Timbermen fell to 2-8.
Six Langley players had two goals apiece in a single-game offensive high for the team. Their previous high was 15 goals, in the first game of the season which also against Nanaimo, back on May 5.
But since then, Langley has only cracked double digits twice in the previous seven games.
“It is nice to see the guys finally rolling, playing together as a unit and having some fun, that is an added bonus,” said Langley coach Matt Leveque. In Sunday’s win, the teams combined for eight goals in the first 20 minutes – it was 5-3 Langley – but just one goal apiece in the middle frame.
That was the result of some poor decisions on his offence’s part, Leveque explained.
“We got away from what we do to be successful,” he said, about moving the ball and having the players not stay stationary. “Sometimes we get a little selfish.”
Dylan Mcintosh, Nathan Mckeigan, Connor Watson and Ryan Martel had two goals and two assists apiece while Bobby Kidd III and Ty Ewen both had two goals and one helper.
Christian Bosa, Tesi Oakes, Thomas Rennie and Hudson Shelvey rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece.
In goal, Braden Washington stopped 32 of 38 shots for the victory.
Thomas Vaisen (two goals), Colton Lidstone (one goal, two assists) and Ryan Sheridan (four assists) led the Timbermen attack.
Nanaimo cut the lead to 10-6 with less than eight minutes to play thanks to power-play goals 53 seconds apart but the Thunder tightened things up defensively and the team responded with a 6-0 run to end the game.
“Our defence plays physical and that is what we have always been teaching,” Leveque said. “And when you are hitting bodies and dropping guys, it is intimidating. Offences tend to shy away from that, when you get hit hard that much, guys are going to shy away. “They were definitely throwing their weight around tonight.”
Next up for Langley is a road game on Tuesday (June 5) as they visit Queens Park Arena to face the first-place New Westminster Junior Salmonbellies, who lead the BCJALL with a 9-1 mark.
