Thunder streak snapped

The Borderland Thunder did something here Saturday that they haven’t done all season—they lost.
The Thunder showed why they are the top team in the SIJHL with a convincing 7-1 win over the K&A Variety Golden Hawks on Friday night to extend their league unbeaten string to 12.
But Saturday was a different game—and a completely different story.
“We just got plain outworked,” said head coach Dave Allison after the 5-3 loss which left the team with an 11-1-1 record.
“You can expect a letdown, but it was pretty poor all over the ice,” he added. “It’s not the standards we set, and we’ll go from there.”
The Thunder led 3-2 after two periods, but then fizzled in the third as the Golden Hawks netted three unanswered goals to steal the victory and move into third place in the SIJHL with a 4-8-1 record.
After Saturday’s loss, the Thunder players were visibly upset by their play and knew they had taken their opposition too lightly.
“You get a lot of arrogance when you beat a team 7-1 one night and play them the next day,” said defenceman Kurt Hogard.
“I guess guys didn’t feel like showing up today and we didn’t put in an effort, and we just beat ourselves pretty much.
“They wanted to play hockey and we didn’t,” Hogard remarked.
“I think we got too carried away with our winning,” echoed forward Aaron Boyer. “Every time we showed up to the rink, we just thought, ‘Come out, have some fun, and maybe pop some points,’ and guys weren’t taking it seriously enough and it showed in our effort.
“I think it’s a good reality check because the guys know that we can be beaten, and [that] guys have to show up and work harder,” he stressed. “They outworked us out there.
“I have no doubt that we’re more skilled, but we just got to bring that effort every night,” Boyer said.
The Thunder will get a chance to redeem themselves this Friday when the Dryden Ice Dogs come to town for a 7:30 p.m. showdown at the Ice for Kids Arena.