'Bellies Outlast Thunder

The New Westminster Salmonbellies looked to continue their 11-game winning streak against the Langley Thunder on Tuesday night in what some would have thought to be another dominating performance by the 'Bellies, but turned out to be one heck of a game.

The Thunder got on the board first with a power play goal at 3:27 and then the intensity picked up a notch. Salmonbellies' Josh Byrne got five minutes for fighting and Tyrell Hammer-Jackson got five minutes for third man in and a misconduct while Ryan Gladiuk from the Thunder received a game misconduct, Dylan Lacroix got a misconduct and Alex Gibbs received five minutes for roughing.

With all that being said, the 'Bellies ended up with a power play and Nathan Stewart made the Thunder pay at 5:23 to even the score. Byrne followed up with his first of the game at 9:19 to give the 'Bellies a 2-1 lead, but the lead did not last long as Duston Doudelet scored for the Thunder.

Both teams exchanged a goal each as James Rahe scored for the Thunder at 10:26 and then Byrne scored at 11:12 to make it 3-3. The flow of the game slowed down as each team got into penalty trouble, but with 24 seconds left in the period, Luke Gillespie of the Salmonbellies scored, giving the 'Bellies a 4-3 lead heading into the second period.

The Thunder came out in the second period with the same fire they had in the first as they got goals from Mykle-Winkler and Gibbs to give the Thunder a 5-4 lead.

The 'Bellies tied it up when Byrne scored on a delayed penalty call at 9:27, but again, the tie was quickly broken by the Thunder when Rahe finished off a great passing play to give the Thunder a 6-5 lead at 11:06. And then, the 'Bellies had enough. Gillespie, Justin Goodwin and Jeremy Bosher scored in a span of two minutes to make it 8-6 for the Salmonbellies. At 18:04, Salmonbellies' Johnny Pearson scored his first of the game to give the 'Bellies a three-goal lead.

There was no giving up by the Thunder though as they stormed back before the period ended. Bryce Brochu beat Salmonbellies' goaltender Ross Bowman to the ball behind the net where Brochu came out in front and scored, but it certainly wasn't going to be that easy as Goodwin nailed Brochu in what seemed to be a high hit. With Goodwin in the box for unsportsmanlike conduct, Riley Glemnitz scored at 19:12 and then six seconds later, Mykle-Winkler scored and we were all tied up heading into the third period.

No one would have imagined that the 'Bellies and the Thunder would be tied 9-9 heading into the third period and there was no one more sure of turning the game around than Salmonbellies' Byrne. At 1:35 in the third period, Byrne scored on the power play and then Quinn Mackay scored less than 30 seconds later to give the 'Bellies a quick two-goal lead. Byrne continued to take over the third period when he scored his fifth and sixth goal of the game at 6:07 and 7:12, but that was the end of Byrne's night. With just over 11 minutes remaining in the period, Thunder's Derick Rouse hit Byrne from behind and into the boards. Byrne was down for awhile and once he got up, he went straight to the dressing room and was out for the rest of the game.

With Rouse receiving a match penalty, Pearson made him pay as he scored on the power play at 12:59 to give the 'Bellies a 14-9 lead. The mood and intensity of the game quickly changed after the Byrne incident as it seemed like the Thunder had nothing left in the tank and the Salmonbellies continued to press.

Connor Robinson scored at 13:08 and Gillespie scored shorthanded at 17:03 to make it 16-9. With 59 seconds remaining in the game, Salmonbellies' Gillespie and Thunder's Finley had a little chat amongst each other and decided to drop the gloves and take off their helmets, but the referees quickly jumped in and would not let them fight.

It was a great effort by the Thunder, but the Salmonbellies proved why they are currently the best team in the league, as they go on to win 16-9.

Three stars of the game
1. New Westminster - Josh Byrne - 6 goals, 2 assists
2. New Westminster - Johnny Pearson - 2 goals, 4 assists
3. Langley - Brendan Mykle-Winkler - 3 goals, 2 assists

The Salmonbellies will head to Bill Copeland Arena to take on the Burnaby Lakers on Sunday, June 29 and the Thunder will head to the island to take on the Nanaimo Timbermen on Saturday, June 28 in what should be a heated game.