5-point games from Malawsky, Vanichuk lead Thunder to victory

Cody Malawsky scored three times as the Langley Thunder held off the Burnaby Lakers 11-9 in BC Junior A Lacrosse League action at Langley Events Centre on June 15. Gary Ahuja LEC photo

There would be no third-period letdown this time around.

For the second straight game, the Langley Thunder built a first-period lead, only to watch it slip away in the middle frame and then see their opponent seize control in the final 20 minutes.

On Tuesday night, the Junior A lacrosse club let a 4-1 lead turn into a tie game after two periods before the host New Westminster Salmonbellies scored seven unanswered goals for the 12-5 victory. That game was played at Queen’s Park Arena.

And on Thursday night, the Thunder welcomed the Burnaby Lakers to Langley Events Centre, and this time, Langley saw a 9-4 lead in the middle frame disappear as the Lakers clawed their way back to tie the game early in the third period. But Cody Malawsky popped home his third of the night for the game winner and Bailey Vanichuk added his second of the night in the final minute to seal the 11-9 victory.

Both Malawsky (3+2) and Vanichuk (2+3) finished with five-point games while Declan Fitzpatrick (2+2) also had a multi-goal game. Braiden Struss (1+1), Chase Schiavon, Hudson Zazelenchuk and Temeke7 Gottfriedsen had the other goals. Brayden Wandler stopped 34 of 43 shots in goal.

Marcus Klarich (1+6) and Joel McCormick (3+3) led the Lakers in the loss.

Malawsky also had a hat trick against New Westminster while Luke Pisani (1+1) and Vanichuk had the other goals. Wandler stopped 40 of 51 shots with Deklan Morrison making four saves on five shots in just over eight minutes of relief. Lukas Nielsen led the Salmonbellies with five goals while Ryan Downie stopped 29 of 34 shots as New Westminster badly outshot Langley 56-34.

Langley’s record sits at 4-9-1 as they face an uphill battle in earning a BC Junior A Lacrosse League playoff berth. Langley sits five points back with just seven games remaining, as well as two other teams ahead of them also chasing that fourth and final playoff spot.

Nanaimo (7-6) currently holds the last spot and that is the Thunder’s next opponent as they travel to Vancouver Island to face the Timbermen on Saturday (June 17) at 3:30pm.

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