THUNDER SCORE SIX UNANSWERED GOALS TO BEST VOYAGEURS

LAC LA BICHE – On Make Noise for Mental Health night, the Bold Center was rocked by a loud Thunderstorm Saturday.

The Concordia Thunder rolled into town and returned to Edmonton with two valuable points in the standings, skating away with a 6-2 win. Zachary Carlson led the way for the visitors, potting two goals while Rylan Nivon, Hunter Leslie, Dallon Wilton and Tyler Schendel added markers. Logan Carruthers and Shaye Sommerfeld replied for the Voyageurs. Edge Lambert played an excellent two-way game and was named Concordia's Player of the Game while Karstin Gorrill played an equally strong game and received similar honours for the Voyageurs.

The game started out for the Voyageurs, who played a strong first period and headed to the dressing room with a 2-0 lead after one on the strength of two powerplay goals. However, a longer-than-usual break between periods (due to the U9-1 Lac La Biche Clippers entertaining the boisterous home crowd with some hockey action) seemed to hurt the home squad, who allowed two goals within the first two minutes of the second.

"We went out and went at it pretty hard and were rewarded," said Head Coach Kevin McClelland. "We got the two powerplay goals. Then we go into the second period and in the first shift, we throw the puck back into the middle in the offensive zone and they go down and score. And if that's not good enough, we do it again, we throw it back, they pick it up and go down and score."

The Voyageurs then got into penalty trouble, taking three infractions in a row and allowing the eventual game-winner on the third opportunity. McClelland noted that his penalty killers were gassed when the trio of penalties expired.

"You can't do six minutes straight like that," he said. "And then when they get up 3-2, our guys panic."

The head coach knows his team can play with the best teams in the ACAC; they've shown that in spurts throughout the season. The problem is growing pains and brain cramps are costing the squad dearly.

"Just breakdowns," said McClelland. "I mean 2-0, we go out at the beginning of the second period when we just preach put pucks in deep, don't throw things back through the middle blind. I call them hope plays and we sure did on the first one and we did it on the second one…It's a learning curve with young guys but eventually they gotta get it, you know."