The Drayton Valley Thunder made the trip north to Peace River for the AJHL Exhibition tournament alongside the Whitecourt Wolverines, Bonnyville Pontiacs and Grande Prairie Storm. The Thunder opened the 2 day tournament with an early evening game against the Storm.
The boys got off to an excellent start, with veteran Tanner Clarkson scoring the opening goal just 10 seconds into the first frame. Ten minutes later Brayden Harris scored for the Thunder putting them up by two moving into the second.
The second period brought lots of opportunities for the Thunder, but the Storm ended up tying the game and then took the lead 3-2 after the second period. The boys competed hard but just couldn’t solve the Storm netminder.
The third period brought more opportunities for the Thunder but once again the Storm goaltender was solid stopping all pucks shot his way in the final frame. The Storm ended up scoring two more goals and took the game 5-2, a tough loss for a good hardworking effort. Veteran Nathan Smith was recognized as the Thunder game star for picking up an assist on the opening goal, but more importantly for his hard work and effort throughout the game.
The Thunder now play this afternoon against the Bonnyville Pontiacs who lost to the Whitecourt Wolverines later in the night. After the matinee affair, the boys will head home to get prepared for the season opener in Grande Prairie September 6th.
