A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
By Andy Gardner.
AKWESASNE – The Akwesasne Thunder won three consecutive wins against Gloucester, Kahnawake, and Nepean, wrapping up the 2024 regular season with a 12-8 record. Two of those bouts were decided in overtime.
Their regular season closer was at Earl Armstrong Arena against the Gloucester Griffins, who the Thunder beat 8-7. The opening 20 minutes saw the teams trade two goals apiece, off the sticks of Takaronhiotakie Thompson and Mason Cree for Akwesasne, and Elliot Malcolm and Dylan Steinwald for Gloucester.
In the second period, Malcolm and Zak McLean each capitalized for the Griffins, pushing them out to a 4-2 lead, which they were only able to gold for 6:10.
With 3:50 left in the stanza, Landen Sinfield sparked a three-goal rally, scoring two himself, followed by the third from Hawi Francis with just under two minutes remaining before the intermission buzzer.
After 4:13 of the third frame, Thompson scored his second goal of the day, pushing the Thunder ahead 6-4. However, the Griffins attackers fashioned two more markers at 6:19 and 10:16, respectively, by Julien Belair and Cam Maunders, forcing overtime.
Yannick Belair scored the only overtime goal for Gloucester. Akwesasne’s Thanaokatha Elijah returned the game to a tie, 7-all, with 2:55 left in OT, followed by the game-winning goal less than a minute later from Hawi Francis, assisted by Lukas Rozon and Thompson.
Akwesasne goalie Xavier Delormier stood tall in the net, turning aside 53 of 60 shots he faced. Griffins goaltender Nathan Morrison was tagged with the loss, making 47 saves from 55 shots.
On June 15, the Thunder defeated the Hunters at Kahnawake Sports Complex. The final score was 11-8, decided in overtime.
After leading 2-0 in the first 10 minutes of play, thanks to Akwesasne goals by Mason Cree and Landon Sinfield, the Hunters came back with three in a row to push ahead to a one-goal lead going into the middle stanza. They were off the sticks of Lleyton Bomberry-Sowden, Deeland Martin, and Ethan Drake.
In the second period, the Thunder defense was able to silence the Kahnawake attack. Meanwhile, on the offensive side, Thanaokatha Elijah tied the game at 3-all, and Cree, with 11 seconds left before the intermission buzzer, made it 4-3 Akwesasne.
Cree pushed the Thunder ahead by two goals on a short-handed play 1:35 into the third period. Drake answered for the Hunters three minutes later. Following that, Thunder attackers rallied for three goals in a row, scored by Hawi Francis, Kaleb Maylon, and Elijah. Kahnawake, not ready to cede control of the game, fashioned four goals to tie the tilt 8-8, forcing overtime. Martin scored two of the goals within four minutes of each other. Then, while down 8-6, Shakononhkwahtsheronniennis Rice took advantage of two power plays in the final 39 seconds, the second goal with just two seconds left before the regulation buzzer.
Overtime was all Akwesasne. Elijah scored what would hold up as the game-winning goal in less than three minutes, assisted by Sinfield. Two insurance goals came off the sticks of Warren Cook and Sinfield.
Xavier Delormier added another win to his season record, making 40 saves. The Kahnawake goalie, Kasey Lahache, turned aside 44 shots and was saddled with the loss.
In their last regular season home game of the year, the Thunder beat the Nepean Knights 7-5 at Anowarakowa Arena on June 12.
While the Knights were leading 3-1 going into the second period, the Thunder attack hit their stride, scoring four goals in the second frame to Nepean’s two. In the third period, while tied 5-5, the Akwesasne defense kept the Knights at bay while Akwesasne shooters fashioned a pair of markers, the game-winner coming from Sinfield, assisted by Carey Terrance and Mason Cree. Just over a minute later, Sinfield notched the insurance goal on a play set up by Carter Kempney.
Thunder netminder Delorminer denied 35 saves out of 42 shots hurled at him and earned a win. In the Knights’ net, Mathias Houlahan made 39 saves from 46 scoring attempts.
Sinfield paced the Thunder offense, generating a game-high four goals and one assist. Trysen Sunday helped set up three scoring plays. Takatonhiotakie Thompson netted a pair of goals. Hawi Francis, Mason Cree, and Carey Terrance recorded two helpers apiece. Solo helpers were contributed by Carter Kempney and Jensen White.
For Nepean, Nolan Downey and James Donnelly each scored twice. Sean Kennedy scored a goal with a helper. Colby De Mora had two assists. Griffin Armstrong, Joe Gasperetti, and Vincent Roy tallied one assist each.
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