Bantams surge in final minutes

The Nicola Valley Thunder saved their best for last in a contest against a team from Kelowna on May 4.

Kelowna’s bantam squad pulled ahead early in the game, scoring in the opening minute of the match then doubling their lead just under three minutes later.

The Thunder response came midway through the period, as Carter Shackelly cut the lead to one on an unassisted effort.

The middle frame was an uneventful one for the Thunder, who couldn’t find a way to beat Kelowna’s goaltender, Brayden Mawer. At the other end of the rink, Merritt’s Nick Parr stood tall, allowing only a single goal in the period.

Facing another two goal deficit heading into the third, Parr continued to provide standout goaltending for the Thunder. The team’s offence finally broke through midway through the final frame, as Ashtyn Rooke scored an unassisted goal to put the Thunder back within one.

Tyson Jarvis followed up just over four minutes later with an unassisted goal of his own, tying the game at three apiece.

But the back and forth affair wasn’t over, as Kelowna’s Kyle Nelson restored the visitors’ lead with just over a minute left to play.

With the game on the line, it was desperation time for the Thunder. Shackelly once again answered the bell for the Merritt team, taking a pass from Mack Klassen and burying it past the Kelowna netminder to secure the tie with 33 seconds remaining.

Peewees find offensive groove

The Nicola Valley Thunder never let their foot off the pedal as the peewee team powered its way to a commanding 10-2 victory over a team from the North Okanagan.

Seven different players found the back of the net for the Thunder, while Antoine Gregoire shut the door on the North Okanagan team, allowing only two goals against.

Three Thunder goals in the first came courtesy of Ryland Sheldon (2) and Brody Jury-Hoisington. But the usual suspects took a back seat later in the game, as they received run support from their teammates in the second.

Asia Munro and Hunter Hewton tallied singles for the Thunder in the second, while Jury-Hoisington added his second of the game to bring the score to 6-2 heading into the third.

The final frame saw Sheldon complete his hat trick, while Roland Quewezance, Boston Simpson and Noah Galbraith all added singles to bring the final score to 10-2 in favour of the Thunder.

Midget team bounced in back-to-back games

The oldest Nicola Valley Thunder team found a way to improve on their performance across a pair of games on May 5, but came up short in both contests.

The first game saw the midget team take on a squad from Shuswap. Thunder captain Beckett Finch found the back of the net early in the opening frame, but that was all the offence the Thunder could muster the rest of the way, as the game finished 12-1.

Given a few hours to regroup after the loss, the Thunder played a much more complete game against the North Okanagan.

Finch once again opened the scoring for the Thunder on an unassisted tally five minutes into the first period.

Another Nicola Valley goal from Wyatt Reed (assisted by Finch) a short while later briefly gave the Thunder a 2-1 lead. But the North Okanagan ended the period on a tear, scoring three goals with less than five minutes remaining to take a 4-2 lead into the middle frame.

A quick strike from Saijin Lali cut the lead to one, but the visiting team restored the cushion just over a minute later.

The visitors continued to press throughout the second period, scoring four straight unanswered goals before the Thunder could stem the bleeding. Connor Kaboni’s goal — assisted by Jordan Parr — provided temporary relief for the Thunder.

The comeback was nearly on in earnest when Kaboni scored his second of the period at 3:55, assisted by Saijin Lali, putting the game back within reach at 8-5. But the North Okanagan killed any momentum the team may have carried into the third by scoring with under two minutes remaining in the second.

North Okanagan would add two more goals in the third as the game finished 11-5.

Novices in tough against Rattlers

Merritt stayed out of the penalty box for the most part, but couldn’t keep pace with the Kamloops offence as the novice team fell 8-2 on May 5.

Ethan Pickering got the Thunder on the board in the first period, assisted by Wyatt Streek.

The only other Thunder goal came in the second, as Mason Dick made the most of an assist by Pickering.