Claresholm Atom Thunder beat Medicine Hat to win tournament
champions - The Claresholm Atom Thunder won their home tournament this past weekend, defeating Medicine Hat in the final on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 11. In back from left are coaches Landon Flynn; Matt Hahn; Jason Bishoff; and Darcy Rice; in middle row from left are Carson Ring; Hayden MacKay; Kaden Pothegadoo; Parker Bishoff; and Colin Fancy; while in front from left are Preston McLeod; Bergen Flynn; Tyce D'Agnone; Micah Rice; and Kieran Pothegadoo. Photo by Rob Vogt
By Rob Vogt, Local Press Writer
The Claresholm Atom Thunder ran the table, winning all four of their games, to capture their home tournament this past weekend.
The Thunder welcomed teams from Lethbridge, Coaldale, Medicine Hat and Calgary to the Claresholm Arena from Nov. 9 to 11, capping it off with a 7-5 win over the Medicine Hat Stars in the “A” final on Sunday, Nov. 11.
Claresholm jumped out early to a 3-0 lead after the first period, with goals from Preston McLeod, unassisted; McLeod, assisted by Carson Ring; and Micah Rice, assisted by Bergen Flynn.
The Hounds got back in the game with two unanswered goals of their own to close the gap to 3-2 after 40 minutes.
However, Claresholm took control with four straight goals to start the period and take a 7-2 lead.
Scoring were Colin Fancy, assisted by Parker Bishoff; Flynn, assisted by Rice; Kieran Pothegadoo, unassisted; and Ring, assisted by Kaden Pothegadoo.
Medicine Hat added two late goals, but Claresholm skated away with the 7-4 win, and the tournament championship.
The Tunder opened the tournament on Friday, Nov. 9, with a 6-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Scoring for Claresholm were McLeod, assisted by Ring; McLeod, assisted by Ring; McLeod, unassisted; Ring, assisted by Rice; Flynn, assisted by Bishoff and Fancy; and Rice, assisted by McLeod.
They continued play on Saturday, Nov. 10 with an 8-3 win over the Calgary Mavericks.
Scoring for the Thunder were McLeod, assisted by Kaden Pothegadoo and Kieran Pothegadoo; Kieran Pothegadoo, assisted by McLeod and Ring; Hayden MacKay, assisted by Rice and Bishoff; McLeod, assisted by Kaden Pothegadoo and Ring; Kaden Pothegadoo, assisted by Kieran Pothegadoo and Ring; Bishoff, assisted by Flynn and Tyce D’Agnone; Rice, assisted by MacKay and Flynn; and McLeod, unassisted.
Goaltender Tyce D’Agnone went the distance in net, recording all four victories.
Claresholm wrapped up round-robin play that same evening with a 21-2 win over the Medicine Hat Stars, to give them first place in Pool “A”.