(File photo)
The Drayton Valley Thunder went 1-1 during their road trip over the weekend.
Nov. 19, they were in Sherwood Park to take on the Crusaders. The Thunder beat the Crusaders 4-1.
It was a scoreless first period, where each team managed 11 shots on net. Thunder goalie Jackson Berry was holding his ground, while Crusaders goalie Gus Bylin proved equally formidable.
The cracks started to show in the Crusaders’ defense in the second period though. The Thunder scored at 6:56, as Brody Tallman scored with assists from Moe Hakim and Tyler Blocha. The Thunder outshot the Crusaders, getting 13 shots on net compared to the Crusaders’ 9. It was 1-0 for the Thunder at the end of the second.
With the gates open, the Thunder came on strong in the third period. Noah Lamb scored, picking up the assist from Lucas Krol at 5:17. At 10:33, the Thunder scored again on the power play, as Stephen Kirkpatrick lit the lamp, getting the assist from Kadyn Chabot. The Crusaders then decided to pull their goalie, allowing Drayton Valley’s Moe Hakim to score on the empty net. Hakim got the assist from Daniel Kernaghan. The Crusaders were able to keep it from becoming a shutout, however, as Cade Christenson scored, getting an assist from Bruce MacGregor at 18:48. Final score was 4-1 for the Thunder.
The two teams were more evenly matched in the third. The Thunder got seven shots on net, compared to the Crusaders six.
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On Nov. 20, the Thunder were off to Spruce Grove to take on the division-leading Saints and the Saints maintained their lead, crushing the Thunder 8-4.
The Thunder got things going, scoring at 8:50 in the first period. Kadyn Chabot scored with assists from Noah Lamb and Drew Sutton. Drayton Valley’s Drew Sutton quickly followed up at 9:01 with an unassisted goal to make it 2-0. Then the Saints got on the board at 12:48, as Jed Magarrell scored with assists from Caiden Gault and Liam Watkins to close Drayton Valley’s lead to 2-1. But the Thunder got one more, as Drew Sutton scored on the power play at 16:48. The goal was assisted by Rylan Brown and Stephen Kirkpatrick. At the end of the first, the Thunder had a comfortable 3-1 lead.
But that all changed in the second, as the Saints proceeded to steamroll the Thunder. Brett Pfoh scored at 3:19, getting the assist from Graeme Bryks to make it 3-2. Cade Mason then tied the game at 3:35, getting assists from Ewan McPherson and Brett Pfoh. The Saints took the lead at 4:35, as Jacob Rochford scored with assists from Breck McKinley and Graeme Bryks to make it 4-3 Spruce Grove. The Saints scored again at 10:47 to make it 5-3, as Cody Pisarczyk scored with assists from Nikola Jovanovic and Jacob Rochford. The Saints finished the period at 19:14, as Liam Watkins scored on the power play, with assists from Cade Mason and Caiden Gault. At the end of the second, the Saints had taken a commanding 6-3 lead. The Saints outshot the Thunder 23-4.
The Thunder put up a valiant defense in the third period, allowing the Saints just seven shots on net. Brody Tallman scored on the power play for the Thunder at 16:51 to make it 6-4, getting assists from Jack Silverberg and Moe Hakim. The Thunder then went on to pull their goalie, allowing the Saints to score on the empty net to make it 7-4. Caiden Gault scored, getting the assist from Bryn McAndrews. The Saints got one more on the board, as Liam Watkins scored with an assist from Jayden Davis at 19:18. The final score was 8-4 for the Saints.
The Thunder continue their road trip, stopping in Whitecourt on Nov. 24 to face the Wolverines.
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