OT heartbreak in Nanaimo as Thunder come up short

Luke Pisani had a pair of goals and three points but the Langley Thunder fell 10-9 in overtime in Nanaimo to the Timbermen on Saturday afternoon in BC Junior A Lacrosse League action. Gary Ahuja LEC file photo

They rallied to force overtime but could not complete the comeback as the Langley Thunder fell 10-9 to the host Nanaimo Timbermen.

The game was played at Nanaimo's Frank Crane Arena on Saturday afternoon with Langley seeing their record slip to 4-10-1 while the Timbermen improved to 8-6 as they hold ontowhi the fourth and final playoff spot in the BC Junior A Lacrosse League. The Thunder remain seven points back with six games to play and with two other teams ahead of them also chasing a post-season berth.

Saturday's contest began great for the Langley visitors as they jumped to a 3-0 lead in the opening five minutes, but by the time the teams went to the first intermission, the advantage was down to a single goal. The second period featured just four goals, three of which came from Nanaimo as the hosts lead 7-6 with a period to play. The Timbermen were ahead 9-7 with a half period to play before Declan Fitzpatrick (with 2:13 to play) and Luke Pisani (with 1:37 remaining) scored to knot the game at nine. 

But Andrew Bowman scored the only goal 29 seconds into the 10-minute overtime period and the Thunder could not muster the equalizer.

Cody Malawsky led Langley with three goals and five points while Pisani scored twice and set up another. Fitzpatrick also scored twice and Jonathan Grywacheski (1+1) and Temeke7 Gottfriedsen had the other goals. Brayden Wandler stopped 40 of 50 shots in net for Langley while his counterpart Colby Bowman made 41 saves on 50 shots.

Matt Boas (1+4), Jack Bowie (2+2) and Luke Ory (3+0) led the Timbermen offence.

The Thunder are back in action on June 22 (7:00pm) as they host the Coquitlam Adanacs at Langley Events Centre.

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