Thunder need overtime, but top Islanders

Nathaniel Leroux (#22) and the Langley Thunder scored a huge 8-6 overtime win on the road in Delta on June 28. Ryan Molag file photo

Nathaniel Leroux and Bailey Vanichuk scored in the 10-minute overtime period as the Langley Junior A Thunder were 8-6 road winners on Saturday night.

Facing the Delta Islanders at the Ladner Leisure Centre, Leroux scored the eventual winner early in overtime session with Vanichuk adding an insurance marker with 62 remaining as Langley improved to 6-5 and 12 points while Delta sits at 7-6 with 14 points. The Islanders are currently third in the BC Junior A Lacrosse League standings with Langley in fifth place. The top four teams make the post-season.

The Thunder are even with the fourth-place Nanaimo Timbermen in points but the Timbermen hold the first tiebreaker. The two teams will battle on Sunday (June 29) afternoon at 3:30pm at Langley Events Centre in a critical head-to-head meeting.

In Saturday's contest, the Thunder trailed 3-2 after a period but scored the only three goals of the middle frame for a 5-3 advantage. And Langley was ahead 6-4 with just under 10 minutes to play before Delta tied the game with 54 seconds remaining. 

Caleb Khan was outstanding in goal for the Thunder, finishing with 50 saves as his team was outshot 56-43, while Vanichuk (3-4) and Cody Malawsky (3-2) both had hat tricks. Koji Okuyama and Leroux had the other Langley goals.

Elijah Gill (2-1) and Ewen Patrick each scored twice for Delta with Jett Burns finishing with 35 saves.

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