It was a successful weekend for the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Drayton Valley community.
On Friday, Dec. 5, the team won their last game in a five-game homestand, 2-1 in overtime against the Lloydminster Bobcats.
Will Jamieson opened the scoring unassisted just 1:35 into period one, starting things out with a 1-0 lead for the Thunder.
No one scored in period two, and only one penalty went to the Thunder’s Billy Hooson for high sticking.
In the third frame, the Bobcats netted one of their own with 58 seconds left in the game for a 1-1 tie, sending the match into overtime.
Less than five minutes into overtime, the Thunder’s Daniel Zhou scored unassisted for a 2-1 overtime win.
Friday’s game kicked off the team’s Stuff-a-Bus event, and attendees were encouraged to bring food or toy donations for local charities. On Saturday, the team continued the donation drive in the afternoon, and the community showed up to donate 737 pounds of food for the local food bank, valued at approximately $2,690.
Many residents also donated gifts for Santas Anonymous, so the bus did indeed get fully loaded with donations for local families in need this holiday season.
That community spirit must have made an impact on the team because the next day, they edged the Drumheller Dragons 4-3 on the road.
The first frame saw no scoring by either team, but a fight broke out between the Thunder’s Keston Beagle and Dragon Matthew Hilderman. Both players took majors for fighting and a game misconduct.
The Dragons opened the action in period two, securing a 2-0 lead less than nine minutes in.
Drayton’s Dylan Snelgrove netted the Thunder’s first point of the game at 15:26 with assistance from Loughlan McMullan, who scored one of his own about two minutes later with no assistance. The two goals quickly tied the game 2-2.
At 2:27 in period three, Damian Hill bumped Drayton’s lead to 3-2. Jerrett Ross and McMullan got the helpers.
Hill scored again 10 minutes later for a 4-2 lead.
At 14:47, the Thunder’s Damian Hill earned a minor for slashing, sending Drumheller to the powerplay to secure one more for a 4-3 finish.
The Thunder fell to the last position in the AJHL South Division last week, but are back in fifth after the two weekend wins.
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