WLA 
Game Preview: Thunder vs. Burrards
After seeing their nine-game winning streak come to an end, the Langley Thunder (10-2) look to get back in the win column as they head across the Golden Ears Bridge to face the Maple Ridge Burrards (3-6-1).
The Western Lacrosse Association game is tonight (Sunday, July 9) at 7:00pm at Maple Ridge’s Cam Neely Arena.
Langley’s last game on July 6 saw them fall behind 7-1 to the New Westminster Salmonbellies, rally to take a 12-10 lead, but ultimately fall short 15-13 for their first loss since May 26. Connor Robinson’s five goals and seven points led Langley while Robert Church (1+5) and Curtis Dickson (2+3) also had big games.
The Burrards have been off since June 27 when they lost 11-10 in overtime to the Coquitlam Adanacs at the Poirier Sports Complex. Ryan Jones led the Burrards in that game with a goal and eight points while Will Clayton had two goals and five points.
This is the second meeting of the season between the two clubs with Langley prevailing 11-7 with Robinson scoring four goals while Church finished with four assists. Kaden Doughty led the Burrards with a pair of goals.
For the season, Langley has three of the WLA’s top five scorers with Church (56 points), Dobbie (47 points) and Dickson (46 points) sitting second, fourth and fifth, respectively. Church is also firs in assists (35) while Dobbie is fourth in goals (25).
In goal, Scigliano was pulled in his most recent outing, but still leads the league in all categories with 10 victories, a 6.34 goals against average, an .863 save percentage and 378 total saves.
For Maple Ridge, Brandon Humphrey has carried the bulk of the load in goal and sits fourth in save percentage (.819) and total saves (295) and fifth in goals against average (8.62). He has also been in goal for all three victories.
Offensively, the Burrards are led by Jones’ 37 points while Dylan McIntosh leads the team with 15 goals.
And in terms of team statistics, Langley has allowed a league-low 7.50 goals per game while they sit second at 11.67 and they also boast a league-best +50 goal differential. Maple Ridge is scoring 8.60 goals per game compared to allowing 9.70 and their goal differential is at -9.
The special teams also favour the Thunder as they are at +15 when factoring in short-handed goals scored and allowed. Langley is first on the penalty kill at .733 (12 goals allowed on 45 chances while scoring 10 short-handed goals themselves) and their power play checks in at No. 3 (.420 (21-for50 with four short-handed goals allowed).
The Burrards total special teams goal equal -6 with the power play ranked seventh (17-for-55, .309) and the penalty kill is fifth (23 goals on 55 chances, .582). They have allowed five short-handed goals and scored five as well.
-30-