Lakers power-play strikes late as Burnaby edges Thunder

Langley's Bailey Vanichuk gathers up a loose ball during his team's BC Junior A Lacrosse League game against Burnaby at Langley Events Centre on May 29. The visiting Lakers edged the Thunder 9-8. Ryan Molag photo

For the second time in three days, the Langley Junior A Thunder were on the short end of a one-goal defeat.

Playing the Burnaby Lakers on Thursday night at Langley Events Centre in their BC Junior A Lacrosse League home opener, the Thunder came up on the losing side of a 9-8 final score.

After Langley tied the score at 7 with goals 15 seconds apart, Burnaby was able to capitalize on back-to-back Thunder penalties with goals 38 seconds apart to quickly restore the two-goal advantage.

“I think there were a couple of momentum swings during the game where on a negative sense, we let that affect us too much,” said Langley coach Matt Beers, referencing the energy the team has generated after pulling event with just over 13 minutes to play. “But a couple of mistakes and penalties cost us in the end.”

“We have some new systems we are implementing; there are still some errors we are making that are easy ones that the teams are capitalizing on,” Beers explained of his young team’s early season struggles as they fell to 0-4.

Burnaby improved to 1-4.

Langley had a great start to the game, leading 3-1 less than three minutes in before scoring just once over the next 26 minutes.

“I think at the end of the day we are still trying to learn how to be a team (and) once they start getting the system and start believing in one another, we are going to see a drastic change. Confidence is a funny thing: you have to learn how to win games and sometimes that means losing to find out what the problems are. You just don’t want to string too many of those together because you can bury yourself pretty quick.”

Mac Timms (2-1), Bailey Vanichuk (1-2) and Nathaniel Leroux (1-2) each had three-point games for Langely with Sam Wallace, Jacob Glass and Cody Todd adding a goal and a helper apiece. Xavian Washington had the other Thunder tally. In goal, Caleb Khan finished with 37 saves as Langley was outshot 46-39.

Kian Yargeau (3-2) and Daniel Battistin led the Lakers with a hat trick each while Kaden Lee made 31 saves.

The Thunder are back in action on June 5 when they host the Delta Islanders at Langley Events Centre. Game time is 7:00pm.

For tickets, click here.

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