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WLA Thunder in lead, Junior Thunder come back to tie series

Langley teams had a good weekend
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On Sunday, Aug. 7, Langley Thunder pulled off an epic comeback to the BC Junior A Lacrosse League championship series at two games apiece. (Ryan Molag Langley Events Centre)

The Langley Thunder have taken a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association semi-final series.

The Thunder won game two by a 15-10 score over the host Victoria Shamrocks on Sunday, Aug. 7 at the Q Centre in Victoria.

And for the second straight game, the Thunder rode a big first period with seven goals, taking a 7-3 lead into intermission and never looking back, leading by four or more goals, the rest of the way.

Robert Church and Curtis Dickson each scored four goals for the Thunder while Church and Dane Dobbie (one goal, seven assists) both had eight-point games while Dickson finished with six points. Connor Robinson chipped in with three goals and two assists and Jordan Magnuson had a four-point game.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Langley Thunder take game one of WLA semifinal

The Thunder also received a goal and two assists from Chase Scanlan and single goals from Erik Maas and Dylan Kinnear.

In goal, Frank Scigliano made 48 saves for Langley as Victoria outshot the Thunder 58-49.

Game three of the series goes on Tuesday (August 9) at Langley Events Centre with the game getting underway at 6:30pm.

An epic comeback by Langley BC Junior A Lacrosse League Championship Series

For the second straight game, the Langley Thunder had a middle period to forget, only this time, the team pulled off an epic comeback as they have knotted the BC Junior A Lacrosse League championship series at two games apiece.

On Saturday, the Thunder were in Victoria with the host Shamrocks scoring nine times on their way to a 14-9 victory in game three.

The teams resumed hostilities on Sunday afternoon for game four of the best-of-seven series, this time at Langley Events Centre, and after the Thunder took a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, Victoria scored all six goals in the middle frame for a commanding 7-2 lead.

On Sunday, Aug. 7, Langley Thunder pulled off an epic comeback to the BC Junior A Lacrosse League championship series at two games apiece. (Ryan Molag Langley Events Centre)
On Sunday, Aug. 7, Langley Thunder pulled off an epic comeback to the BC Junior A Lacrosse League championship series at two games apiece. (Ryan Molag Langley Events Centre)

Kyle Brunsch’s attempted buzzer-beater came a half-second too late, sending the Thunder to the dressing room with their first scoreless period since mid-June, or 14 games ago.

“We got that one goal at the end of the second that didn’t count, and I said to the team … when we go back out there, that is what we build off of,” said Langley coach Adam Smith.

What transpired next was three goals in 79 seconds, prompting a Victoria timeout, as the Thunder pulled to within 7-5 with 16 minutes remaining.

Shortly after the timeout, Cody Malawsky scored his third of the period to make it a one-goal game. Victoria did respond with goals from Brodie Wade and Patrick Dodds to restore the Shamrocks multi-goal advantage, but Langley remained undeterred answering back with a pair of power-play goals from Stuart Phillips to make it 9-8.

READ ALSO: Junior Thunder tie up championship series

Matt Abbott would tie the score and 11 seconds later, Malawsky scored his fourth of the game for what proved to be the game-winner with Brunsch tacking on an insurance marker with 25 seconds to play.

Game five of the series goes Wednesday, Aug. 10, at Victoria’s Q Centre with a 5 p.m. start before the series shifts back to Langley Events Centre on Saturday, Aug. 13 with a 1 .p.m. start time.


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