Kulas buries four, including OT winner

Dante Kulas and the Langley Thunder celebrate a first-period goal during the team's 9-8 overtime win over the visiting Maple Ridge Burrards in Western Lacrosse Association action at Langley Events Centre on June 17. Ryan Molag photo

Dante Kulas played the role of overtime hero.

With the game in 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime, Frank Scigliano made a huge save at one end of the floor before the Thunder transitioned the other way, where Kulas buried his fourth goal of the game for a 9-8 win over the Maple Ridge Burrards in Western Lacrosse Association action on Wednesday night at Langley Events Centre.

“Just beat my guy. You have to think that you can beat everyone out there and just shoot the ball, make the goalie make saves, and he didn't make it, so we won,” Kulas said of his mindset on the game-winning play.

The Thunder raced out to a 4-0 lead after a period and the Burrards – who entered the night averaging a league-best 11.1 goals per game – were held scoreless for the opening 30:48 before finally breaking through.

It sparked a 4-1 finish to the period which cut Langley’s lead to 5-4 with 20 minutes to play. Maple Ridge briefly took its first lead of the game in the third period before Kulas tied things at 8-8 with 12:08 remaining, setting the stage for overtime.

The Thunder would not have been in position to win had it not been for Scigliano’s heroics. The goaltender finished with 51 saves as Langley was outshot 59-38.

“Obviously Frank’s a world-class goalie,” said coach Ian Poole. “We needed that at the end and in overtime, and he made some huge saves for us.

“And Dante, we’ve been telling him all year to shoot the ball. He’s got a great shot. He’s still new to the league and he’s just starting to get his feel for it, and today he showed that if you give him chances, he’s going to bury it.”

Kulas finished with four goals and an assist while Jon Phillips added two goals and four helpers. Max Semple (1-3), Nathaniel Kozevnikov (1-2) and Evan Messenger had the other goals with Aidan Baker adding a pair of assists.

Payton Cormier led the Burrards with three goals and three assists while Dagan Carlson added a pair of goals. Jack Kask made 29 saves in the Maple Ridge goal.

Langley improved to 2-6, with both victories coming against the WLA's top two teams: the Victoria Shamrocks (6-1) and the Burrards (6-2).

The Thunder also let third-period leads slip away in two of their six losses.

“Every game now is like a playoff game for us,” Poole said of the hole the team finds itself in as they near the halfway mark of the 18-game season.

The Thunder were coming off a season-low two goals in their previous game.

“Our mentality and our preparation,” Kulas said of the change from the last game to this. “Emotions didn’t get too low, the bench was upbeat, and I think that was the difference maker.”

The Thunder are next in action on Saturday (June 20) as they visit the Nanaimo Timbermen with a 6:00pm start time. It is one of three straight road games before they return to Langley Events Centre on July 8 against the Timbermen.

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