Thunder double up Lakers as playoff race heats up

Bailey Vanichuk scores a diving goal in the first period of the Langley Thunder's 12-6 win over the visiting Burnaby Lakers in BC Junior A Lacrosse League action at Langley Events Centre on July 3. Vanichuk had three goals and six points in the victory. Ryan Molag photo

Fresh off a one-goal loss in their previous game and locked in a tight, four-team race for two playoff spots, the Langley Junior A found their way back to the win column.

Hosting the Burnaby Lakers on Thursday night in BC Junior A Lacrosse League action at Langley Events Centre, the Thunder scored seven of the first eight goals, doubling up the Lakers 12-6.

Even more impressive was the fact they did so without captain Cody Malawsky, who leads the league with 5.3 points per game.

“We knew we had to step up and make plays and see we what we could do without Cody, unfortunately,” said Kade Hoogstraten. “We were being unselfish tonight: we were moving the ball and seeing each other on the floor.”

The Thunder led 5-1 after a period and 11-2 through 40 minutes before the Lakers cut into the deficit in the final frame.

“The fast start is huge, but it can go away quickly so we were just happy to keep the pedal down,” Hoogstraten said.

He was one of four Thunder players with two or more goals.

Bailey Vanichuk led the charge with three goals and six points while Max Goller also had a hat trick to go along with two assists. Cody Todd added a pair of goals and three helpers.

The win improves Langley to 7-6-0 with 14 points, tied with the Nanaimo Timbermen (7-5-0) and the Delta Islanders (7-8-0) and two points up on the New Westminster Salmonbellies (6-7-0). Only two of those four will make the post-season.

The Thunder began the season 0-4 but have since won seven of nine games with one of those losses coming four days earlier, a 7-6 home defeat to Nanaimo.

“We showed up ready and tenacious and we stepped up and played our game,” said Ben Gagnon, who spearheaded a defensive effort which allowed 52 shots on goal but were effective in keeping the Lakers to the outside and pouncing on loose balls to trigger the transition game with goals coming from defenders Graysen Balatti and Govind Saggu.

Caleb Khan finished with 16 saves on 17 shots in a period of work with Arjun Gill playing the last two periods and delivering 30 saves on 35 shots.

Rowen Birrell led the Lakers with two goals while Wyatt Hofer added a goal and two assists.

The Thunder are back in action on Friday (July 4) with a visit to Coquitlam against the first-place Adanacs (12-2-0, 24 points) while the team’s next home game at Langley Events Centre comes on July 10 at 7:00pm against the Port Coquitlam Saints (4-10-0, eight points).

The Langley Thunder lacrosse organization consists of Senior A, Junior A and Junior Tier 1 teams who play in the Western Lacrosse Association, BC Junior A Lacrosse League and BC Junior Tier 1 Lacrosse League respectively. All three teams play their home games at Langley Events Centre.

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