Curtis Dickson had six points in his first game of the year as the Maple Ridge Burrards overcame a four goal deficit to force overtime Wednesday night on the road against Langley, the Western Lacrosse Association’s top team. However, it was the Thunder who came away with two points, winning 12-11 in the extra frame.
The Burrards found themselves playing catch-up early, as the Thunder opened up a 4-0 lead in the first period of Wednesday’s game.
The second period was a different story, however, as the Burrards outscored Langley 8-4 to tie things up.
Riley Loewen got the Burrards on the board two minutes into the middle frame, before Dickson scored his first goal of the season a minute later.
Midway through the period, the Burrards sparked a flurry of offence, scoring four goals and allowing one in the span of one minute.
With the score 6-5 for the Burrards, Langley opted to pull goalie Brodie MacDonald after he allowed six goals on 13 shots in the first half of the second period.
With Steve Fryer in net for the Thunder, the Burrards continued their attack, as Jarrett Davis stretched the lead to 7-5 two minutes later.
Langley was down but not out, and a pair of late goals once again put the teams square. WIth tensions high at the Langley Events Centre, the tying goal sparked a mêlée that saw Athan Iannucci and Alex Turner of the Thunder, and David Joyce and Kevin Reid of the Burrards given game misconducts.
The teams traded late goals before the period was over to send them into the third with an 8-8 tie.
Langley scored a pair of goals midway through the third to take a two-goal lead, but the Burrards again clawed their way back into the game thanks to goals by Simon Giourmetakis and Dickson’s tying goal. With the Burrards on the powerplay, Randy Daly scored to put the Burrards ahead with five minutes left in regulation.
However, with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker, Langley scored with less than minute left in the period to force overtime.
The Thunder scored 21 seconds into the extra 10-minute period, and with the Burrards unable to put anything past Fryer at the other end of the rink, Langley walked away with the 12-11 win.
Leading the Burrards on offence was Dickson, who scored two goals and four assists in his first game back this season after recovering from a shoulder injury. Daly had a four-point night, with two goals and two assists, while Brandon Bertoia, Davis, and Loewen had a goal and two assists each.
Also scoring for the Burrards was Dayne Michaud, Joyce, Lee, and Giourmetakis. Colton Porter, Garrett McIntosh, and Jonathan Munk each picked up assists.
Burrards starting goaltender Drew Dickie stopped 43 of 55 shots in 70 minutes of action, while the Burrards had 50 shots on the Langley net.
With the loss, the Burrards fall to 3-13-1 this season, while Langley improves to 11-7, tops in the WLA with 22 points.
The Burrards final game of the season takes place this Sunday at Planet Ice in Maple Ridge as they host the New Westminster Salmonbellies. With the ‘Bellies sitting at 8-8 with two games remaining, the Burrards have an opportunity to deny New West a trip to the WLA playoffs should the Burrards win on Sunday. Game time is at 6:45 p.m.
