The Langley Thunder held on to win 8-7 over the Maple Ridge Burrards Wednesday night at the Langley Events Centre to open Week 5 in the WLA. The Burrards erased a 7-3 deficit entering the third period, before Jon Phillips scored the game-winner with 47 seconds left. The Thunder improve to 4-4 (8 points), good for fourth place in the WLA standings, snapping a three-game losing skid. Meanwhile, Maple Ridge falls to 1-5-2 (4 points; fifth place in the standings).
Big second period puts Langley in front
Anthony Kalinich got the visitors on the board first, scoring the only goal of the first period at 10:18. Riley Loewen (2:09 second period) gave the Burrards a two-goal lead, but Chase Scanlan (3:17) cut that lead to one. Connor Robinson (13:14) and Scanlan’s second (13:40) then put Langley up 3-2. Declan Fitzpatrick tied the game 45 seconds later, but the Thunder went on a four-goal run to end the second period. Robinson’s second goal (15:55), Jon Phillips (16:37), Nathaniel Kozevnikov (18:18) and another from Phillips (18:57) put Langley up 7-3 going into the third period.
3rd period/stars
The Burrards battled back in the third period, starting with goals from Dagan Carlson (3:15) and Garret Winter (7:08). Marcus Klarich then buried a feed from Carlson (9:51), before Winter’s second goal (12:38) leveled the game at 7-7. But Phillips broke the tie, scoring his hat trick goal with 47 seconds remaining to give Langley the win. Phillips earned 1st Star of the Game with 3 goals and 1 assist, while Connor Robinson (2g, 2a) took home 3rd Star for the Thunder. Klarich (1g, 3a) earned 2nd Star honors for Maple Ridge. The Burrards play at Burnaby Friday night before hosting Langley in a rematch on Sunday night. The Thunder will return home next Wednesday June 25, when they host Victoria.
