Thunder face must-win after loss in Victoria

Kade Hoogstraten looks to make a play during his team's BC Junior A Lacrosse League game on July 10. Hoogstraten scored four times on Saturday afternoon in Victoria, but the Langley Junior A Thunder fell 12-8 to the Shamrocks, leaving the Thunder in need of a victory in the regular season finale on July 13 to make the post-season. Ryan Molag file photo

After battling back with four straight goals to take a 5-4 lead late in the second period, the Langley Junior A Thunder could not sustain the momentum as the host Victoria Shamrocks outscored the visitors 8-3 over the final 22 minutes for the 12-8 victory.

The teams were playing on Saturday afternoon at Victoria's Q Centre  in a game with major playoff implications in the BC Junior A Lacrosse League. With the victory, Victoria (12-5-0, 24 points) clinched second place while the Thunder (8-8-0, 16 points) need a victory in their regular season finale to overtake the fourth-place Delta Islanders (9-8-0, 18 points) for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Thunder hold the tiebreaker over the Islanders by virtue of winning the season series 2-0.

The Thunder will be back on Vancouver Island on Sunday afternoon, this time in Nanaimo to face the third-place Timbermen (10-6-0, 20 points). The game had originally been scheduled for last month but ferry troubles prevented Langley from making it over that day.

After falling behind Victoria 4-1, the Thunder scored four unanswered goals for a 5-4 lead with just under three minutes to play in the second period. The Shamrocks would tally twice before intermission and then tacked on another in the opening minute of the third period.

Langley did cut the lead to a single goal with 15:55 to play before Victoria struck twice in 30 seconds for a multi-goal they would not relinquish. 

Kade Hoogstraten led the Thunder offence with four goals and one assist and his five-points were matched by Mason Eastgate, who finished with five helpers. Cody Todd and Madden Bakatsis each had a goal and an assist with Xavian Washington and Mac Timms both scoring once.

Caleb Khan finished with 57 saves as Langley was outshot 68-31.

Jett Klassen led the Shamrocks with a hat trick while Dylan Anderson (2-2), Greyson Thompson (2-2) and Phillip Busenius (2-1) all had two-goal games.

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