The Langley Thunder and Burnaby Lakers matched up Wednesday night at the Langley Events Centre to start Week 3 in the WLA. Langley is coming off their first loss of the season to New Westminster last week. Burnaby has had a rough start to the season, including having to forfeit a game they won, and face three road games this week. Chase Scanlan had a six-point night as the Thunder doubled up Burnaby 12-6 to improve to 3-1 on the season.
Multiple runs put Thunder up through two periods
Scanlan opened the scoring for Langley at the 3:47 mark of the first period. Luke Grove (8:47) added another for a 2-0 lead. Back-to-back goals from Silas Richmond (9:07; 10:05) and a power play goal from Ben McDonald (11:43) put the Lakers in front, 3-2. But the Thunder retook a 4-3 lead with Alex Lemieux (17:16) and Kyle Brunsch (18:46) finding the back of the net to close the first period scoring.
Scanlan added two more (2:38 shorthanded; 8:28) to extend Langley’s lead to 6-3. Cole Newton (12:18) broke the run for Burnaby, but Josh Mills (15:10) scored another shorthanded goal to make it 7-4. Thomas Vela (16:39) cut the deficit to two before Trent Kellner (18:15) pushed it back to three, 8-5 Thunder going into the third period.
Langley cruises in the third to stay one game out of first place
Vela scored his second goal of the game 15 seconds into the third period to pull Burnaby within two yet again. However, it was all Thunder the rest of the way. Scanlan’s fourth (3:46), a second from Mills (9:37 power play), Scanlan’s fifth (10:37), and Toru Morimatsu (17:11) blew the game wide open for the 12-6 final score.
Scanlan (5g, 1a) was named 1st Star of the Game. Thunder goaltender Caleb Khan (52 saves) was 2nd Star, and Mills (2g, 1a) took home 3rd Star honors. Burnaby outshot Langley 58-45, and Gordie Phillips won 20 of 21 faceoffs for the Lakers. Burnaby (0-4) continues their Week 3 road trip at New Westminster on Thursday, and at Nanaimo on Sunday. Langley plays at Coquitlam on Saturday, then hosts the Adanacs next Wednesday.
