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From the Langley Thunder website – story by Chris Vales
Thunder nip Raiders 11-9May 19, 2013
On their first game of a three game road trip, the Okotoks Raiders visited the Langley Events Centre to face the Langley Thunder in an exhibition game.
The first period was a rather quiet one for both teams. The Thunder opened the scoring 3:22 into the period with a goal by Brett Dobray. Shortly after, Jordan Getz of the Raiders received a 4-minute penalty for cross checking from behind where the Thunder could only generate a goal scored by James Rahe. Thunder’s goalie Ryley Brown only faced 12 shots in the period, but he held his ground and stopped everything the Raiders shot at him. Unfortunately, the rest of the period had very few scoring chances and the Thunder led in shots 14-12.
The game opened up in the second period and boy, was it a wild one. The Raiders got on the board 1:22 into the period with a goal by Travis Getz, but then the Thunder felt the pressure and went on a tear. The Thunder scored 3 goals in 1 minute and 21 seconds to go up 5-1. Raiders head coach Dave Pym decided to change goalies, but it didn’t really make a difference. Raiders’ Curtin Mcmullen got a 5-minute high sticking penalty, in which the Thunder scored 2 goals, one from Brendan Kidd and another from Dobray. Following Dobray’s goal, Adam Will netted one for the Thunder to put the Thunder up 8-1. At this point, it seemed as if the Thunder were running away with this game and the Raiders have called it a night, but that would be wrong to assume. The Raiders changed their goalie once again and this time, it made a difference and the Raiders finally woke up. Dylan Kinnear, Ryan Davidge and Marshall Gibson each scored for the Raiders to make it an 8-4 game. The Thunder were making trips to the penalty box late into the period, at one point killing a 5 on 3, but the Raiders could only manage to score 1. With less than 5 minutes to go in the period, Thunder head coach Jake Elliott decided to shake things up and changed goalies.
The Raiders started the third period strong, getting a goal from Cam Copland on the powerplay and a shorthanded goal from Ben Fream to make it 8-7, but the Raiders could never tie the game up. The Thunder increased their lead with a goal by Brendan Mykle-Winkler and Matt Messenger to make it a 10-7 game. Raiders’ Kevin Pym scored with 8 minutes to go in the period, but when Thunder’s Dobray scored on the powerplay with 2 minutes left, it was a done deal for the Raiders. Pym did score his 2nd of the night for the Raiders, but it didn’t make a difference as the Thunder defeated the Raiders 11-9.
Three stars of the game:
1st Star – Thunder – Brett Dobray
2nd Star – Raiders – Ben Fream
3rd Star – Thunder – Sean Lundstrom
The Raiders will now head to the Coquitlam Sports Centre to face the Coquitlam Adanacs tomorrow at 8PM, while the Thunder will enjoy the rest of the long weekend as their next game won’t be till Thursday, when they face the New Westminster Salmonbellies at home.
From the Langley Thunder website
Raiders Give Thunder Jr A All They Can Handle
MAY 19, 2013 BY THUNDERADMIN
The Langley Junior A Thunder defeated the Okotoks Raiders 11 to 9 Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre. The Raiders fell behind seven to one early in the second period and fought their way back to tie the score in the third period before the Thunder put the game away. Outshooting the Thunder, the Raiders proved to be one of the toughest opponents the Thunder faced all season.
The game was the first inter-league competition ever between the BC and Alberta Junior A leagues during the regular season. The new Minto Cup format, beginning in 2014, will revert back to an east-west final with the BC Champion playing off with the Alberta Champion for the right to represent the West in the National Championship. This series of three games with the Raiders playing three teams from the BC Junior A Lacrosse league signals the start of closer relationship between the two leagues with more inter-league games being scheduled.
The Thunder play their next game at the Langley Events Centre Thursday May 23 against the New Westminster Salmonbellies. Game time is 8:00 pm.
Catch it on Shaw TV Channel 10.
Tonight the Raiders will meet the Calgary Mountaineers. In 2012 Raiders were Alberta regular season champs but went down to a game seven defeat to the Mounties. After tonight’s test the Raiders head to BC for the long weekend where they will meet the Langley Thunder, the Port Coquitlam Saints and the Coquitlam Adanacs, currently ranked 7th, 9th and 10th respectively.
