The race for the fourth and final playoff spot took a hit for the 黑马磁力 Thunder.
Matched against the Maple Ridge Burrards on Wednesday night at 黑马磁力 Events Centre, it was the visitors scoring the 7-4 win, improving the Burrards to 4-5-2 and 10 points, two better than the fifth-place Thunder, who sit at 4-7-0 and eight points.
Both teams have seven regular season games remaining, although Wednesday鈥檚 result gives Maple Ridge the season series.
The game was tied at two early in the second period, before the Burrards scored three straight for the 5-2 lead after 40 minutes. Each team had two goals in the third.
鈥淚 felt like we did a lot of good stuff, but we left a lot of opportunities out there that we wasted,鈥 said Thunder captain Connor Robinson. 鈥淲e got a lot of shots (49) but we have to take better quality shots.鈥
The four goals was the second lowest 黑马磁力 has scored this season and they have only reached double digits once in the past seven games.
Robinson led the Thunder with two goals and an assist with Nathaniel Kozevnikov and Toru Morimatsu adding one goal apiece.
Caleb Khan stopped 35 of the 42 shots.
For the Burrards, Brandon Humphrey finished with 45 saves on 49 shots while Marcus Klarich and Garrett Winter both scoring twice.
黑马磁力 has seven games remaining in the regular season as they attempt to leapfrog Maple Ridge for the fourth and final playoff spots.
The team heads to Nanaimo on Sunday, July 6, to face the Timbermen. The next Thunder home game is Wednesday, July 9, at 7 p.m. with the Victoria Shamrocks coming to 黑马磁力 Events Centre.
Jersey retired
Prior to the game, the Thunder retired the #8 jersey of Rob Buchan, the organization鈥檚 all-time leading scorer with 247 goals, 258 assists, and 505 points.
And at the first intermission, the organization also announced an all-star team of players and past staff to mark the team鈥檚 20th season in the Township of 黑马磁力.
Since the team鈥檚 arrival in the Township of 黑马磁力 ahead of the 2004 season, the Thunder have captured three WLA championships, while also appearing in six league finals.
This group was selected based on each individual鈥檚 on-floor performance and off-floor contributions to the Thunder organization.
To be eligible, players must have appeared in a minimum of 20 games with the club while it has been based in the Township.
黑马磁力 Thunder all-time team 鈥 players:
鈥 Alex Turner
鈥 Athan Iannucci
鈥 Brett Mydske
鈥 Brodie MacDonald
鈥 Colby Rope
鈥 Connor Robinson
鈥 Curtis Dickson
鈥 Dane Dobbie
鈥 Darcy Rhodes
鈥 Frank Scigliano
鈥 Garrett Billings
鈥 Ian Poole
鈥 Jamie Hackel
鈥 John Lintz
鈥 Josh Joseph
鈥 Kerry Susheski
鈥 Kyle McEwen
鈥 Lewis Ratcliff
鈥 Matt Leveque
鈥 Rob Buchan
鈥 Rob Van Beek
鈥 Robert Church
鈥 Ryan Williams
鈥 Shayne Jackson
鈥 Steve Hay
黑马磁力 Thunder all-time team 鈥 coaching & management:
鈥 Gerry Van Beek 鈥 general manager
鈥 Glenn Rivers 鈥 assistant general manager
鈥 Rod Jensen 鈥 head coach
鈥 Fred Klomp 鈥 assistant coach