The New Westminster Salmonbellies and Langley Thunder took turns visiting each other’s houses and in both cases the hosts served up the two points to their visitors.
At the Langley Events Centre on Wednesday, the ’Bellies scored goals 22 seconds apart late in the third period to steal the Thunder’s thunder at the LEC 8-7. Daniel McQuade tied the game at 7-7 by scoring on a set up from Joel McCready at 13:15. McCready then got the winner at 13:37.
But the next night at Queen’s Park Arena, it was the last-place Thunder coming away with their first win of the season, an 8-6 victory, by scoring the only three goals of the third period.
The split leaves the Salmonbellies with a 4-4-1 Western Lacrosse Association record behind Victoria (6-1-1) and Burnaby (4-3-1). They will play in Nanaimo (3-4-1) on Sunday. There is no game schedule for next Thursday, the team’s usual home game night at Queen’s Park.
McCready ended up with three goals and four points in Langley. He had two goals and an assist in New West. McQuade, Justin Goodwin, Mitch Jones and Zach Herreweyers had a goal and an assist each Wednesday. Logan Schuss scored the other ’Bellies marker. Sean Tyrell had three assists. J.P. Kealey, who is third in WLA scoring, had two goals and five points for the Thunder.
On Thursday, Herreweyers had a goal and an assist. Other Salmonbellies snipes came from the sticks of Justin Goodwin, Mitch Jones and Austin Jerhoff. While Kealey had three points (1-2), it was James Rahe doing the damage for the Thunder striking for five goals and adding an assist as Langley connected on five of nine power plays. The Thunder were 2-for-5 Wednesday, while New West was 1-for-8 in the two combined games.
