For just the second time this season, the New Westminster Salmonbellies took it on the chin.
In a tight contest at the Langley Events Centre on Wednesday, the host Thunder used a late offensive foray to topple the first-place 'Bellies 9-7.
Two goals from Tyler Pace and a single by Brodie Porter, in a span of 2:56 late in the third period, erased a brief New West lead and handed the visitors just its second loss of the year.
The game yo-yo'd back and forth after Langley opened with the game's first two goals. They'd restore their two-goal lead early in the second period, but the 'Bellies responded with three straight strikes to lead 5-4 after 40 minutes.
In the third, they traded tallied with the Thunder and looked good for the win when Mitch Jones netted his second of the night with 11 minutes to play.
But Langley thought otherwise, and with the likes of Dane Dobbie and New West junior grad Connor Robinson leading the attack, the comeback was always in play.
Setting the stage for the upset was netminder Jake Sundar, who turned aside 50 New West shots.
It came on the heels of a dramatci 'Bellies win on home court.
Anthony Malcom’s marker with virtually no time remaining lifted the Salmonbellies past Maple Ridge 14-13 in overtime last Thursday.
Having trailed for a good portion of the game, the ’Bellies briefly led 13-12 before the Burrards’ Riley Loewen forced extra time.
New West’s offence was spread throughout the lineup, with four players – Brandon Goodwin, Austin Jerhoff, Jordan McBride and Brendan Ranford – collecting two goals each. Also scoring were Lyndon Bunio, Jakob Doucet, Curtis Hodgson and Sean Tyrell.
The 'Bellies next test comes July 5 when they host the Coquitlam Adanacs, 7:30 p.m. at Queen's Park Arena.
