The Langley Thunder pulled to within a goal late in the second period but that was as close as they could get, dropping a 13-11 decision to the host Victoria Shamrocks.
The Thunder were at Victoria’s The Q Centre on Friday to kick off a two-game Vancouver Island road trip which finishes on Saturday night in Nanaimo. And after falling behind 5-2 after one, Langley cut the deficit to one goal, 8-7, in the late stages of the second. But Jesse King restored the two-goal advantage prior to intermission and then made it a three-goal game early in the third.
Victoria forged ahead 13-8 with just over six minutes remaining before Langley closed with three goals but could get no closer.
The loss dropped Langley to 4-7-1 while Victoria improved to 7-4 in Western Lacrosse Association action.
Dane Dobbie led the Thunder offence with two goals and five assists and he was one of four Langley players with multiple goals. Garrett Billings scored three times, Tyler Pace had two goals and four assists and JP Kealey had two goals and two helpers. Connor Robinson (one goal, two assists) and Bryce Brochu (one goal, one assist) rounded out the scoring.
King and Casey Jackson led the Shamrocks with four goals and three assists apiece.
