The Drayton Valley Thunder continued an extended road trip with three games between Friday, Feb. 21, and Sunday, Feb. 23, losing all three games.
The Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated the Thunder 4-3 on Friday, the Bonnyville Pontiacs defeated the Thunder 6-3 on Saturday and the Lloydminster Bobcats also defeated the Thunder 6-3 on Sunday.
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Friday’s game began with a quick goal from Fort McMurray’s Justin Dumais at 1:57 to get the Oil Barons out to an early lead. Dumais’ ninth goal of the season was assisted by Cade Peterson and Carter Schmidt
Matthias Bessey got the Thunder on the board with his sixth goal of the season at 9:02. Tucker Tullikopf and Luke Marley were credited with the assists.
Louis-Charles Cunningham put the Oil Barons back on top with a goal at 12:32. Patani Mutambo and Trennen Redlick chipped in with the helpers on Cunningham’s fifth goal of the season.
Marco Oliviero tied it back up for the Thunder at 13:42. Anton Yastyshin was credited with the solo assist on Oliviero’s third goal of the season.
At the end of the first period, Fort McMurray outshot Drayton Valley 10-9 with the score tied 2-2 heading into the first intermission.
Oil Barons’ centre, Carter Schmidt broke the tie just 5:12 into the second period. Schmidt’s 17th goal of the season was assisted by Trennen Redlick and Drew Freer.
Kohyn Pipke scored the final goal of the game for the Thunder, at 16:01, to tie the game 3-3. Justin Ivanusec and Cooper Brown picked up the assists on Pipke’s eighth goal of the season.
Drew Freer scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal at 19:57 to secure the 4-3 victory for the Oil Barons. Danny Akkouche and Carter Schmidt picked up the assists on Freer’s seventh goal of the season.
At the end of the second period, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 13-8 and took a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.
No goals were scored in the third period despite the Fort McMurray Oil Barons outshooting the Drayton Valley Thunder 13-5 and 36-22 in total.
Drayton Valley Thunder goaltender Hudson Perry made 32 saves on the 36 shots he faced.
Fort McMurray Oil Barons’ goaltender Vincent Filion made 19 saves on the 22 shots he faced in support of the Oil Barons’ 4-3 victory.
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The Thunder continued their road trip in Bonnyville on Saturday, Feb. 22, losing 6-3 to the Pontiacs.
Bonnyville’s Luke Minard scored his second goal of the season at 7:51 of the first period to give the Pontiacs an early 1-0 lead. Deegan Kinniburgh was credited with the assist.
Slade Firkus extended that lead to 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season, scored on a power play, at 14:46. Dylan Hebert and Mathieu Lajoie assisted on that goal.
Cooper Brown then got the Thunder on the board at 16:03. Justin Ivanusec picked up the solo assist on Brown’s 23rd goal of the season.
At the end of the first period, the Bonnyville Pontiacs had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 15-9 and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Brent Hoshowski extended the Pontiacs’ lead to 3-1, just 7:43 into the second period. Rockston Ror-Chow and Kyle Kalamaras were credited with the assists on Hoshowski’s fourth goal of the season.
Drayton Valley Thunder defenceman Tafari Chingwaru then scored his first goal of the season at 15:33, with an assist from Matthias Bessey to make it 3-2.
Myles Gauld wrapped up the second period with a power play goal for the Pontiacs at 19:08. Gauld’s 17th goal of the season was assisted by Mathieu Lajoie and Maxim Shushkov.
At the end of the second period, the Bonnyville Pontiacs had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 12-6 and took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.
Brady Estabrook and Deegan Kinniburgh scored back-to-back power play goals for the Pontiacs at 4:15 and 7:14 in the third period. Estabrook’s goal was his third of the season and was assisted by Porter Byrd-Leitner and Christophe Lussier. Kinniburgh’s goal was also his third of the season and assisted by Slade Firkus and Myles Mauld.
Gabriel Fillion scored the final goal of the game for the Thunder at 16:01. Filion’s ninth goal of the season was assisted by Tafari Chingwaru.
At the end of the third period, the Bonnyville Pontiacs had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 13-7 and 40-22 in total.
Drayton Valley Thunder goaltender Nicholas Cristiano made 34 saves on the 40 shots he faced.
Bonnyville Pontiacs’ goaltender Cody Butikis made 19 saves on the 22 shots he faced in support of the Pontiacs’ 6-3 victory.
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The Drayton Valley Thunder wrapped up the weekend in Lloydminster on Sunday, Feb. 23, where they lost 6-3 to the Bobcats.
Luke Fritz only needed 2:40 to get the Bobcats out to an early lead. Alessio Nardelli and Gus El-Tahhan were credited with the assists on Fritz’s 15th goal of the season.
Dryden Tomkow tied the game 1-1 for the Thunder at 7:09. Tomkow’s fifth goal of the season was assisted by Kohyn Pipke.
Tafari Chingwaru gave the Thunder their first lead of the night with his second goal of the season at 18:16. Justin Ivanusec picked up the lone assist on that goal.
At the end of the first period, the Lloydminster Bobcats had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 16-9 but the Thunder took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Murray Kanerva scored an unassisted goal for the Bobcats at 3:21 to tie the game 2-2. That was Kanerva’s third goal of the season.
Jack Sears then scored the Thunder’s last goal of the game at 12:48. Connor Wolitski and Taynton Lavender picked up the assists on Sears’ fifth goal of the season.
Caden Steinke re-tied the game 3-3 at 18:40 with his ninth goal of the season, assisted by Gus El-Tahhan and Lucas Magowan.
Later, Luke Fritz scored his second goal of the game at 19:26 to make it 4-3 Bobcats. Matthew Hikida was credited with the lone assist on Fritz’s 16th goal of the season.
At the end of the second period, the Lloydminster Bobcats had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 12-8 and took a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.
Lloydminster’s Ben Costantino scored back-to-back goals in the third period to secure the 6-3 victory for the Bobcats. Costantino’s sixth goal of the season was scored on a power play at 4:12 with assists from Caden Steinke and Jack Birch. His seventh goal of the season was scored on an empty net at 17:17, unassisted.
At the end of the third period, the Lloydminster Bobcats had outshot the Drayton Valley Thunder 13-5 and 41-22 in total.
Drayton Valley Thunder goaltender Hudson Perry made 35 saves on the 40 shots he faced.
Lloydminster Bobcats’ goaltender Kaiden Kirkwood made 19 saves on the 22 shots he faced in support of the Pontiacs’ 6-3 win.
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The Drayton Valley Thunder now have a record of 21-19-4-3, for a total of 49 points, placing them fifth in the AJHL South division and eighth in the overall league standings.
The Thunder are chasing the Drumheller Dragons for the final playoff spot in the division. The Dragons have 61 points over 47 games. The Thunder’s next game in Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, 7:00 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre to take on the Eagles.
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