One game does not make a season, but it was a promising start for the Langley Thunder.
The senior A lacrosse team surrendered the game’s first goal but rattled off the next seven and never looked back, dropping the Burnaby Lakers 12-7 in the Western Lacrosse Association opener for both clubs last Wednesday (May 23) at the Langley Events Centre.
It was the team’s young guns leading the way.
Connor Robinson, the first overall pick in the 2018 WLA draft, had two a spectacular debut with two goals and three assists and was named the game’s first star.
J.P. Kealey (three goals) was the second star and Tyler Pace (two goals and two assists) rounded out a Langley sweep of the three-star selections.
Pace was the first overall pick in the 2017 WLA draft but he played just game for the Thunder in 2017 while Kealey is in his sophomore season.
Despite the youth and inexperience at the senior level, Thunder head coach Rod Jensen said age will not be an excuse.
“They are talented guys, they have all played on winning teams,” the coach said. “They have had great junior careers and I anticipate they are going to carry that forward.
“They are smart players and competitors too and we saw a little bit of their magic tonight.”
In addition, the offensive contributions of the three stars, Johnny Pearson (two goals, one assist), Cole Shafer (four assists) and Austin Rockwell (one goal, one assist) also had multi-point games.
Preston Lupul and Andrew Garant rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece.
The Thunder scored four times with the man advantage and added another short-handed.
Langley led 12-4 into the latter stages of the third period but allowed a pair of power-play goals – playing down two men in both instances – to allow the Lakers to make the score more respectable.
In goal, Brodie MacDonald – the lone Thunder player who was with the team during Jensen’s first stint behind the bench from 2011 to 2015 – finished with 32 saves.
He was especially good early on.
“That is the Brodie I know. I believe in him,” Jensen said. “I know he has struggled a bit in the NLL and in previous years, but I trust him, he is my go-to-guy.”
Next up for the team is another home game tonight (May 30) at the LEC, when the Thunder host the Maple Ridge Burrards. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Langley Junior B Thunder suffer loss to PoCo Saints
A five-goal second period was too much to overcome as the Langley Junior B Thunder saw their two-game win streak come to an end.
The Thunder scored the only goal of the third period but were on the losing end of a 7-6 score to the Port Coquitlam Saints in BC Junior Tier 1 Lacrosse League action at Langley Events Centre on Tuesday night. The loss dropped Langley to 4-4 on the season while the Saints improved to 4-2-0-2.
Chase Moore had two goals and two assists to lead the Langley attack while Taylor Dudlets had one goal and two helpers and Nathan Lavigne, Cooper Gettel and Matthew Abbott had a goal apiece.
The teams were tied at two after one period but the Saints scored five of the eight goals in the middle stanza for a lead they would not relinquish.
Langley does not have much time to dwell on the defeat as they are right back in action on May 30, visiting the Richmond Roadrunners at Minoru Arena in Richmond.
