Airdrie Thunder lose fourth game of the regular season
The Airdrie Thunder dropped to 2-4 on the season after an 8-4 loss to the Red Deer Vipers, Oct. 12.
Brett Hanson recorded two points for the Thunder, a second-period goal and an assist on Taysen Holt’s first period marker, while Daniel Hounjet and Gavin Klein each scored in the third period, but a red-hot Vipers team were too much for the Thunder.
“We had a couple of mental lapses,” said Thunder Assistant Coach Kyle Haviland. “Our intensity in the second period wasn’t where it should’ve been. We made it easy on them. The game we played in the third period is the way this team needs to play to be successful.”
Kade Taplin started the game in net for the Thunder, but was pulled in favour of Brett Monkman in the second period. Haviland was hoping the change would spark the team, but the Thunder’s defensive woes continued.
The Thunder started to push back in the third period, with Hounjet and Klein’s goals, but more importantly they pushed back physically. Curtis Bunney and Barrett Sheen dropped the gloves in the last few minutes of the game and both will miss the Thunder’s next game after receiving fighting majors against Blackfalds, Haviland was impressed with what the fights showed.
“Those are kind of a good sign of a team trying to come together,” he said. “It’s a sign that there is chemistry forming within the team.”
The team’s chemistry has been tested early this season thanks to injuries to Taylor Crossley and Aidan Crowther, but it’s giving the athletes still in the line-up more ice time, which Haviland said more players need to take advantage of.
The Thunder’s next face off is against the Blackfalds Wranglers, Oct. 19 and the team knows it needs to amp up its intensity and improve its defensive zone play if it’s going to come out of the game with a win.
“We have to find something inside of us,” said Thunder defenceman Dylan Johnston. “We have to get way more mean and tougher. We have to be mad to lose and we can’t be nonchalant about everything.”
The game against Blackfalds will be at the Ron Ebbesen Arena at 8 p.m.
Comments
The Airdrie City View welcomes your opinions and comments. We do not allow personal attacks, offensive language or unsubstantiated allegations. We reserve the right to delete comments deemed inappropriate. We reserve the right to close the comments thread for stories that are deemed especially sensitive. For further information, please contact the editor or publisher.
blog comments powered by Disqus