Alex Buque delivered an outstanding performance as the Langley Thunder defeated the Burnaby Lakers 11-5 on Wednesday night in WLA action.
Despite being outshot 58-41, Buque made 53 saves for the Thunder, finishing with a .914 save percentage.
Dante Kulas led the way for Langley with two goals and four assists, while Connor Watson found the back of the net four times.
The win inches Langley closer to climbing out of the WLA basement. The Thunder improve to 3-11 and now trail the sixth-place Burnaby Lakers (4-11) by one game.
Burnaby was led by Finn Halladay and Tyler Kirkby, who each had a goal and two assists. Ethan M’Lot, Ryan Favaro and Austin Ducommun also scored for the Lakers.
Marc Rippberger and Keegan Melenychuk split time in goal, combining to stop 29 of 39 shots in the loss.
First Period
Langley seized control early, scoring five unanswered goals in just over nine minutes.
Kulas opened the scoring at the 3:52 mark before Watson struck on the power play less than two minutes later.
Devin Pipher, Kulas and Max Semple followed with even-strength goals as the Thunder raced out to a 5-0 advantage.
Favaro finally got Burnaby on the board with 51 seconds remaining in the opening frame, but the Thunder still carried a commanding 5-1 lead into the first intermission.
Second Period
Watson needed just 1:07 of the second period to restore Langley’s five-goal cushion before Halladay answered on the power play for Burnaby.
Ethan Quinn made it 7-2 at the 5:58 mark, but Ducommun cut into the deficit again for the Lakers.
Langley put the game out of reach late in the period. Watson scored a shorthanded goal to complete his hat trick before adding his fourth of the night on the power play with 21 seconds remaining, giving the Thunder a 9-3 advantage after 40 minutes.
Third Period
Kirkby scored early in the third period for Burnaby, but Jake Govett answered with a power-play marker to restore Langley’s six-goal lead.
Carson Forney added an empty-net goal in the closing minutes before M’Lot scored Burnaby’s final goal with 59 seconds remaining to make the final 11-5.
Alex Buque was the difference all night, turning aside 53 shots as the Thunder earned an impressive 11-5 victory.
Top Scorers
Langley Thunder
- Dante Kulas, 2g 4a
- Connor Watson, 4g
- Max Semple, 1g 3a
Burnaby Lakers
- Finn Halladay, 1g 2a
- Tyler Kirkby, 1g 2a
- Ethan M’Lot, 1g
- Ryan Favaro, 1g
- Austin Ducommun, 1g
- Carter Torok, 1a
Three Stars
- Alex Buque, Langley Thunder
- Connor Watson, Langley Thunder
- Dante Kulas, Langley Thunder
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