Bellie report – vs. Langley Thunder – July, 12th, 2012
The atmosphere around Queen’s Park Arena after the game on Thursday night was one of elation and relief. After defeating the league leading Langley Thunder 10-9 in the third meeting for the teams this season, fans, staff and even players were enjoying the feeling that things had finally clicked again. Despite weeks of bouncing between fifth and second place in the league standings, one could finally catch a glimpse of the skill and talent that has populated the club for the past few seasons.
With only four games left in what has amounted to an inconsistent season, a single win will not iron out all the wrinkles this summer has provided, but it did inject a shot of hope into the club.
The night didn’t always look like it would end in a win. At the first intermission, the Bellies went to their dressing room down by a score of 4-2 even though they’d, at one point, held a one-goal lead. Kyle Ross and Corbyn Tao were responsible for the early New West goals.
Trading goals back and forth, the Thunder stayed ahead of the Bellies in the first half of the second period. In that time, Ilija Gajic provided the third goal of the night and Sean Robinson the fourth. At almost exactly the ten minute mark and down by a score of 7-4, scoring from Tom Johnson, Curtis Hodgson and Eric Lewthwaite launched a campaign that evened the score by the end of forty minutes.
The theme throughout the final period was a seesaw of scoring. After Alex Gajic scored to give the Bellies a lead, the Thunder answered back with a two-goal run. Just before the sixteen-minute mark and within 13 seconds of one another, Jordan McBride and Corbyn Tao ended the game’s scoring.
For a team that has yet to see the same line-up twice, scratches for the night included Clayton Richardson, Mike Berekoff, Martin Cummings, Kevin Crowley and, most notably, starting goaltender, Tyler Richards. Richards’ back up, Neil Tyacke, in just his second start as a Salmonbellie, silenced his critics. Facing 55 shots, Tyacke saved 46 of them and went on to be named the WLA’s Third Star of the game.
Top scoring for the night came from Corbyn Tao who had two goals and two assists and took WLA Second Star honours. Eric Lewthwaite trailed with a three-point night composed of a goal and an assist. Jordan McBride, Sean Robinson and Ilija Gajic, returning from a three game absence, provided one goal and one assist each.
The Bellies are in action on Tuesday when they travel to Victoria to face the Shamrocks for the third time this season. The regular season series is on the line and so is the race to secure a play-off spot. Catch the webcast courtesy of the WLA by visiting the pay per view page at theboxrocks.com.