VOYAGEURS ROLL OVER THUNDER TO KEEP PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE

LAC LA BICHE – "So you're saying there's a chance." The famous words of Lloyd Christmas from the '90s classic Dumb and Dumber were reverberating around the Bold Center Friday night. Or maybe it was an old favourite from the Bee Gees: "Stayin' Alive." Perhaps still it was Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape." "Woo hoo! Wee hoo!" Whatever the scenario, the result was the same: the Portage College Voyageurs live to fight another day.

Head Coach Kevin McClelland's troops played one of their most complete home games of the season to best the Concordia Thunder 6-2 and keep their slim – but growing – playoff hopes alive. Mikal Chalifoux and Player of the Game Leighton Desjarlais led the charge for the Voyageurs, potting two goals apiece, with Carter Yarish and Xavier Halterman adding single tallies. Issak Leik and Thunder Player of the Game Griffen Ryden replied for the visitors.

"It was a real good game," said McClelland after the game. "The (home) one last Friday against NAIT was pretty good too but we got out early in a lead and we kept it going. We had lots of opportunities. They took it to us a little bit at the beginning of the third but then we got it back."

Indeed, leading by a comfortable 5-1 margin heading into the final 20 minutes, the Voyageurs hung on a bit to start the third. Thanks to some stellar goaltending from Luke Hall, who finished the game with 41 saves, the home team was able to weather the storm.

"Yeah, he's played well," said McClelland. "Tomorrow we'll go back with (goalie Alex) Brousseau and take our chances."

The Voyageurs have now won three of their last four games and sit eight points back of the Thunder for the final playoff spot. While they have to win out in regulation and hope Concordia doesn't manage any points the rest of the way, McClelland's team is heading to Edmonton for the rematch with the Thunder brimming with confidence.

"We've got some momentum," he said. "We're playing pretty good hockey right now and all of our games up until last week that we won – which isn't a lot – have been on the road so we know we can play well on the road too."