It's official: the Thunder is rumbling into the post-season.
Langley's Western Lacrosse Association team punched its ticket to the playoffs after edging the Coquitlam Adanacs 7-5 Wednesday at the Langley Events Centre.
Even though the Adanacs occupied last place in the WLA standings at press time, they weren't taken lightly.
Coquitlam had won two straight heading into the contest, including a 9-5 triumph over WLA-leading New Westminster on July 21, but fell to a league-worst 6-11 following the loss.
"We stuck to the plan and knew we were going to tire them out," Thunder head coach Rod Jensen said. "They [the Adanacs] were exhausted by the end of the game. Sometimes you get rewarded for your hard work."
The Thunder continued its fine play at home, improving its record to 7-2 at the LEC and 8-7-2 overall.
The Adanacs and Thunder faced off this past Saturday in Coquitlam in the WLA regular season finale for both teams.
Regardless of how Saturday's contest transpired, the Thunder will finish either third or fourth in the WLA standings, depending on how the Maple Ridge Burrards fared in their final two games of the season. The top four teams in the league make the playoffs.
Heading into the final weekend of the WLA regular season, the Nanaimo Timbermen and Burrards were tied with 14 points apiece, four points back of the Thunder.
Even if they finish tied with the Thunder at season's end, the Timbermen won't be able to catch the local squad, which owns the tiebreaker in the season series between the two teams.
However, if the Thunder lost to Coquitlam and the Burrards won both of their weekend games, Maple Ridge will take third, with the Thunder ending up in fourth, on the basis of Maple Ridge having more wins than Langley.
Nanaimo, which also had two games left in the campaign, had an outside shot at playing in the post-season, but the Timbermen would have had to overtake the Burrards for the final playoff spot.
Results of these games are not available, due to early press deadlines caused by the B.C. Day long weekend.
Jensen said he was "a little low-key" about making the playoffs. It's what Langley does in the post-season that matters most to him.
Reflecting on the season that was, Jensen had hoped for a better start.
Langley stumbled to 1-3-1 in its first five games, but gelled nicely down the stretch.
"We really maintained our composure and built [momentum] as the season went on," he said. "I knew we had great defenders and [goaltender] Brodie MacDonald has been playing really well, right now."
Jensen said the team is where he expected it to be at this point of the season, and predicted a Thunder/ Victoria Shamrocks matchup in the opening round of the playoffs.
"They are a very good team," he said, when asked about the Shamrocks. "We beat 'em once and tied 'em twice, and Victoria is really picking up their game, too."
During the playoff-clinching victory, the visiting Adanacs held a 3-1 lead after two period of play and jumped ahead 4-3 on Kevin Olson's goal 5: 40 into the final frame.
Then, the Thunder players found their scoring touch. Goals from Alex Turner, Mike Grimes and Kyle Belton giving the home team a 6-4 advantage.
Olson's second of the period, scored at the 16: 29 mark, narrowed Coquitlam's deficit to a goal at 6-5, before the Thunder's Rob Van Beek rounded out the game's scoring when he found the net 42 seconds later, at 17: 11.
The late goal was Van Beek's second of the frame.
Other Thunder goal scorers were Dan Williams and Ian Poole.
The Thunder outshot the Adanacs 51-44 on the night.
MacDonald picked up the win, stopping 39 of 44 shots directed his way.
Langley's Western Lacrosse Association team punched its ticket to the playoffs after edging the Coquitlam Adanacs 7-5 Wednesday at the Langley Events Centre.
Even though the Adanacs occupied last place in the WLA standings at press time, they weren't taken lightly.
Coquitlam had won two straight heading into the contest, including a 9-5 triumph over WLA-leading New Westminster on July 21, but fell to a league-worst 6-11 following the loss.
"We stuck to the plan and knew we were going to tire them out," Thunder head coach Rod Jensen said. "They [the Adanacs] were exhausted by the end of the game. Sometimes you get rewarded for your hard work."
The Thunder continued its fine play at home, improving its record to 7-2 at the LEC and 8-7-2 overall.
The Adanacs and Thunder faced off this past Saturday in Coquitlam in the WLA regular season finale for both teams.
Regardless of how Saturday's contest transpired, the Thunder will finish either third or fourth in the WLA standings, depending on how the Maple Ridge Burrards fared in their final two games of the season. The top four teams in the league make the playoffs.
Heading into the final weekend of the WLA regular season, the Nanaimo Timbermen and Burrards were tied with 14 points apiece, four points back of the Thunder.
Even if they finish tied with the Thunder at season's end, the Timbermen won't be able to catch the local squad, which owns the tiebreaker in the season series between the two teams.
Nanaimo, which also had two games left in the campaign, had an outside shot at playing in the post-season, but the Timbermen would have had to overtake the Burrards for the final playoff spot.
Results of these games are not available, due to early press deadlines caused by the B.C. Day long weekend.
Jensen said he was "a little low-key" about making the playoffs. It's what Langley does in the post-season that matters most to him.
Reflecting on the season that was, Jensen had hoped for a better start.
Langley stumbled to 1-3-1 in its first five games, but gelled nicely down the stretch.
"We really maintained our composure and built [momentum] as the season went on," he said. "I knew we had great defenders and [goaltender] Brodie MacDonald has been playing really well, right now."
Jensen said the team is where he expected it to be at this point of the season, and predicted a Thunder/ Victoria Shamrocks matchup in the opening round of the playoffs.
"They are a very good team," he said, when asked about the Shamrocks. "We beat 'em once and tied 'em twice, and Victoria is really picking up their game, too."
During the playoff-clinching victory, the visiting Adanacs held a 3-1 lead after two period of play and jumped ahead 4-3 on Kevin Olson's goal 5: 40 into the final frame.
Then, the Thunder players found their scoring touch. Goals from Alex Turner, Mike Grimes and Kyle Belton giving the home team a 6-4 advantage.
Olson's second of the period, scored at the 16: 29 mark, narrowed Coquitlam's deficit to a goal at 6-5, before the Thunder's Rob Van Beek rounded out the game's scoring when he found the net 42 seconds later, at 17: 11.
The late goal was Van Beek's second of the frame.
Other Thunder goal scorers were Dan Williams and Ian Poole.
The Thunder outshot the Adanacs 51-44 on the night.
MacDonald picked up the win, stopping 39 of 44 shots directed his way.
