Thunder snap skid with season's biggest offensive output

Langley's Vaughn Pinchin, in action against New Westminster Salmonbellies on May 9 at Langley Events Centre, had five goals and nine points in the rematch on June 2 at New Westminster's Queen's Park Arena as the Thunder won 15-13 in overtime. Gary Ahuja LEC file photo

While the troubling trend continued of not playing a full 60 minutes, the Langley Thunder thankfully had an additional 10 minutes to redeem themselves.

The Tier 1 lacrosse team overcame surrendering a six-goal lead over the game's final 10:20 to defeat the New Westminster Salmonbellies 15-13 in overtime on Friday night at Queen's Park Arena. The 15 goals was a season-high for the team

Langley snapped a four-game losing streak as they improved to 3-9 in the BC Junior Tier 1 Lacrosse League standings while New Westminster saw their record fall to 3-5-2.

After falling behind 1-0, Langley rattled off six straight goals in a span of 7:03 to close out the first period. And while the team's second periods have been an issue over their four-game losing streak, being outscored 25-8 in the middle frames of those contests, the Thunder held their own this time, with a 5-4 advantage and an 11-5 lead.

Vaughn Pinchin extended the lead to 12-5 with 11:18 to play before the Salmonbellies came roaring back with six unanswered goals, including the equalizer with 14 seconds to play. 

Neither team was able to score in the first seven minutes of overtime before Kai Sephton (Langley) and Simon Poole (New Westminster) traded goals 21 seconds apart. Talon Schroeder would then tally what became the winning goal before Brock Lamotte added an insurance marker with 26  seconds to play. 

Pinchin had a monster game in the win with a five-goal, nine-point effort. He leads Langley in all three offensive categories with 23 goals, 21 assists and 44 points. Schroeder (3+1) and Connyr Welch (2+0) both had multi-goal games. Jake Newby finished with one goal and four assists, Sephton (1+2) and Lamotte (1+1) each had a goal and Jack Bamford had three assists. Todd Hensrud made 47 saves on 60 shots.

Poole led New Westminster with six goals and nine points and Case Laturnus had a hat trick and six points. 

Langley is back in action on June 8 as they visit the PoCo Rec Centre to face the Port Coquitlam Saints.