Despite coming out flat-footed in the first period again and giving up a couple of goals, the Quesnel Thunder clawed their way back into the game against Kamloops in Midget Tier 2 Provincial Championship action on March 20.
Both teams went into the game undefeated and a probable berth in the finals was up for grabs.
We knew it was going to be a tough game, says head coach Gord Salmons.
“We came out really flat and our goalie Jakob [Drapeau] kept us in the game once again.
“We were lucky it wasn’t five or six nothing; they dominated us. We weren’t chasing pucks; weren’t moving our feet; we were standing back and watching.”
Kamloops opened the scoring at 10:31 of first period right after a Thunder penalty expired – Corson Nordick scored with Liam Kelly and Adam Sayhaydak getting the assists.
Three-and-a-half minutes later Brogen Taphorn (Tyson Lampreau, Carter McLellan on the power play made it 2-0 going into the first intermission.
Salmons noted that during the intermission, assistant coach Harley Gilks took charge of the chat and he tried to fire the boys up.
“We try to stay positive… told them we’re only down 2-0 and we didn’t play well, so we just have to get back in the game. We have guys who can put pucks in the net….”
Early in the second stanza, Kamloops was still applying pressure but the Thunder started taking the body and grinding their opponents attack down.
Offensively, Quesnel started putting their big bodies in front of the Kamloops net and screening their goalie.
Try as they might, the Blazers couldn’t move Thunder big boys Stefan Tipold, Ryan Murray and others out of the crease area and Kamloops goalie Ryan McLean was darting around trying to get a bead on the puck through the calamity in front of him.
Quesnel finally got on the scoreboard with four minutes left in the second when Cameron Hender unleashed a seeing-eye blast from the high slot that got through the crowd to cut the lead in half. Assists went to Michael Greenwood and Drapeau.
While it doesn’t show up on the score sheet, Tipold should get an assist for the screen he set up in front.
The Thunder came out for the third period with a lot of energy and looking for the tying goal.
Despite having a shadow on him throughout the game, Quesnel team captain Mike Wright broke through late in the third period for a highlight-reel goal that knotted the score at two apiece.
Wright picked up the puck with a head of steam in his own zone, deked out three Blazers and fired a wrist shot that froze the Kamloops goalie.
The crowd and the bench went wild.
Quesnel had all of the momentum and fire several long-range missiles that were giving the Blazers net-minder trouble.
However, an interference penalty with 3:05 left on the clock took away all of the momentum the Thunder players were building.
Salmons said he was surprised by the call because he saw the Kamloops player run into Ryan Murray.
“That’s the way it goes sometimes. [Ryan] is a big kid and that happens to him every once in a while.”
Coach’s comments
Salmons agreed his team has some smaller players who won’t back down and like to go into the corners and dirty places to muck it up during the game.
“They definitely play bigger than they are. They like to get in there. They’re gritty and they like to play that way, too.
“Our guys like to play gritty, hit the body and try to get in your face.”
What’s next
The Thunder have to win tonight’s game (March 21) against Coquitlam at 7:15 p.m. to have a chance to make it into the championship game.
They play Fort St. John tomorrow (March 22) at 1:30 and would like to finish with another victory.
The championship game is slated for tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
Go early to get a parking spot and a good seat.