Thunder rout Timbermen, clinch playoff spot

Langley Thunder's Logan Claxton (#3) and Dallas Kilpatrick (#66) celebrate a goal during a June 7 game at Langley Events Centre against the Nanaimo Timbermen. The teams played in Nanaimo on June 20 with the Thunder winning 15-2 to clinch a BC Junior Tier 1 Lacrosse League playoff berth. Gary Ahuja file photo

The Langley T1 Thunder are back in the post-season.

The Thunder earned their playoff berth in emphatic fashion on Saturday afternoon with a 15-2 win over the host Nanaimo Timbermen at Frank Crane Arena, improving to 9-8 on the season. The Timbermen -- who fell to 4-11 with the defeat -- were the last remaining team which could have potentially pulled even with the Thunder for the sixth and final post-season spot in the BC Junior Tier 1 Lacrosse League.

Langley raced out to a 5-0 lead just over 10 minutes into the game and were up 11-1 through two periods. 

Dallas Kilpatrick paced the Thunder attack with four goals and an assist while Cam Smith (3-4) and Logan Claxton (3-2) also had hat tricks. Owen Van Ryn (2-1), Josiah Allen (2-0) and Jacob Glass (1-1) rounded out the scoring.

Hendrix Wenman earned the win in goal for Langley with only Jack Prizeman and Carson Gunderson able to get the ball past him.

Langley was coming off a 10-7 loss on June 18 against the host Port Coquitlam Saints at the Poco Rec Centre. Claxton (2-2), Kilpatrick (2-2) and Dylan Massa each scored twice in the loss while Van Ryn adding the other goal. Jensen McGregor finished with 48 saves as the Thunder were outshot 58-50.

Langley has one game remaining in the regular season as they visit the Delta Islanders on June 26. The teams are tied in points although Delta (9-7) does hold a game in hand on the Thunder.

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