Breakout

Submitted by League Reporter, Jen Mutas

Photos supplied by Paul Sparrow

Tuesday’s game between the Salmonbellies and Thunder at Queens Park Arena had some preceding details that could have swayed the game in either direction. Langley, a team who is no stranger to struggles in the past few years, has had some increasingly positive games this season including coming off their second win of the 2010 season against the Shamrocks on Sunday night. New West remains the only undefeated team in the BCJALL, and has the other seven teams in the league salivating as to who will be the one to dethrone them of that coveted title. Also playing on Sunday night, the ‘Bellies were the victim (if you can even call it that) of their second tie of the season at the hands of the Lakers and the impressive play of Burnaby goaltender Brodie MacDonald. Could the Thunder pull off the supposed ‘impossible’ and carry over their winning ways from Sunday to take down the Salmonbellies? Stranger things have happened.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Uncontested Tyler Digby stands on the Thunder crease trying to put one over the tender. Tyler led New West going into tonights game with 57 points.[/caption]

Needing nine goals to catch the ‘Bellies, the Thunder’s concentration on defense made the offensive opportunities in the third few and far between. Caldwell Rohrbach would score the only goal of the period for Langley on an outside shot halfway through the period, and would ring the post just a few minutes later but four more goals for the ‘Bellies including two from defenseman Reid Mydske would seal the deal and the final score was 17-5.

Among a couple of issues in this particular game, shots on goal might have made the score a bit closer. New West outshot Langley by nine in the first period, and eleven in the third period; in the second the Thunder managed to outshoot the ‘Bellies 16-12 but playing a man down seemed to tire out their players enough to let New West keep their substantial lead. Leif Mydske ended the night with five goals and four helpers, but it was the impressive play of Daniel McQuade that stole the show for the ‘Bellies. With only six shots on net McQuade scored three goals and nine assists and his twelve points on the night brings his grand total to 38 points in only eight games; that breaks down to 4.75 points per game and an average of 1.88 goals per match.