Thunder take over top spot

How does it sound when you’re told that you are still undefeated after five games?
“It sounds so good to hear that,” Andrew Dault said after the Borderland Thunder beat the Dryden Ice Dogs 6-3 last night at the Ice for Kids Arena, which extended the team’s unbeaten streak to five games to start the SIJHL season.
More importantly, the win gave the Thunder (4-0-1) sole possession of first place with nine points—two more than the Fort William First Nation North Stars (3-0-1).
“To tell people that you haven’t lost a game yet, everyone just looks at you and goes, ‘Whoa,’” Dault added. “I’ve never been on a team where I could say that I was undefeated before and it feels really good.”
Dault, who hails from International Falls, had a breakout game for the Thunder last night as he notched his first two goals of the young season. He had four assists in the team’s first four games, but the forward was looking for more—and got it.
“In my first four games, I was getting some points and some assists and this and that, but I was looking for that first goal and it finally came for me tonight,” he remarked.
Thunder head coach Dave Allison was pleased with his team’s focus against the Ice Dogs, who were leading 3-2 in the middle of the second period.
But late goals by Bryan Schallenhammer and Dault gave the Thunder a lead they would not relinquish.
Josh McAndrew, just a minute into the third, and an empty-netter in the final minute by Dennis Morrison rounded out the scoring.
Sus had given the Thunder a 1-0 lead after one, with Dault getting his first of two early in the second to give the home team a 2-0 lead before Dryden stormed back with three unanswered goals.
“Hockey is a funny game because your puck placement so much dictates the pace,” said Allison. “And sometimes you got to have pace and there are other times where you’ve got to have patience.
“I think we were playing with a lot of pace and then all of a sudden, when they had good possession, we over-pursued and they snuck a couple of guys behind us.
“But our guys were good about adjusting and understanding when they needed to go with pace and when they needed to go with patience,” he added.
The Thunder registered 35 shots against the Ice Dogs last night, after firing 77 at the K&A Golden Hawks here on Friday and Saturday in a pair of 4-2 wins.
But don’t be fooled by the stats. The Thunder are an offensive team, yes, but their offence is triggered by sound defence.
“I think our defence triggers our offence. Our offence is triggered by our ability to play with some pace and some energy,” explained Allison.
Allison was equally as pleased with the team’s performance considering their minds could have been in Winnipeg, where the team will be this weekend for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s “showcase” tournament.
The games MJHL teams play against the Thunder will count towards their standings, but the SIJHL won’t take into account the Thunder’s results into its standings.
The Thunder are the only team outside of the MJHL to have been invited to the tournament. Allison believes it will be a great opportunity not just for the team, but also for the SIJHL, as well.
“I think we just want respect for our league and respect for our players, and I think our players realize that if the team does well, they will have an opportunity to shine.
“The only way you’re noticed is when you play on a winning program,” he stressed. “If you do enough ordinary things right, you become extraordinary, and that’s the goal.”
And when Dault was asked if the SIJHL is best represented by the Thunder, his answer came back in the form of a question.
“What better team to represent the league than the one that’s undefeated?” he remarked.
The Thunder resume SIJHL play next Tuesday (Oct. 12) when they again host the Dryden Ice Dogs at 7:30 p.m.