Thunder ready to battle Burrards

by Gary Ahuja

For the second time this season, the Langley Thunder and Maple Ridge Burrards are set to square off in Western Lacrosse Association action.

The teams met back in week one of the WLA season with Chase Scanlan’s sock trick leading the Thunder to victory in the game which was played at Maple Ridge’s Cam Neely Arena. Scanlan’s sixth goal of the game came with just under three minutes to play to snap a tie game for the 13-12 win.

This time the venue shifts to Langley Events Centre as the teams renew hostilities on July 6 (7:30pm) with Langley entering with a 4-4 record, good for fourth place in the WLA, while the Burrards are at 1-6.

TICKETS

Previous game

Langley snapped a three-game losing streak on June 29 as they scored a pair of goals to break a third-period tie and prevail 8-6 over the Burnaby Lakers.

Maple Ridge is on a four-game losing streak and in their most recent contest fell 11-9 to the New Westminster Salmonbellies on June 30.

Offense

While Langley boasts an impressive offensive arsenal on paper, the Thunder enter the game averaging a league-low 8.88 goals per game.

Four Thunder players are in double digits for goals, led by Curtis Dickson’s 15 goals – and has a team-best 34 points – while Scanlan and Robert Church each have 13 goals and Dane Dobbie has a dozen goals.

Maple Ridge are second in the league with 10.57 goals per game with Dennon Armstrong leading the team with 13 goals and 31 points. The Burrards have nine players with four or more goals on the season.

Defence and goaltending

Frank Scigliano has an .811 save percentage and a 9.46 goals against average and sits fifth in total saves with 223 while the Burrards’ Brandon Humphrey has an 11.53 goals against average and a .793 save percentage and is fourth in saves with 245.

Langley sports a -12 goal differential while Maple Ridge is at -9.

Special Teams

The Thunder power play leads all WLA teams as they have cashed in on nearly half (19-for-39, .487) of their man-advantage opportunities while the Burrards sit third in penalty kill percentage (.613) and are tied for first with six short-handed goals. No team has allowed fewer power play goals then the 12 surrendered by Maple Ridge.

Conversely, Maple Ridge’s power play has been good on 17 of their 45 opportunities (.378) while Langley’s penalty kill has allowed 16 goals on 36 chances (.556).