Atom Thunder win pair of weekend games

The Claresholm Atom Thunder recorded two wins in Central Alberta Hockey League Atom Tier-2 action on the weekend. Preston McLeod had the game winner on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Claresholm Arena, scoring short-handed and unassisted on a breakaway to give Claresholm a 4-3 victory over Airdrie. The Thunder led 2-0 after the first period, on the strength of an unassisted goal by Bergen Flynn, and a goal by Edward Franz, from McLeod. Airdrie closed the gap to 2-1 early in the second period, only to have Parker Bishoff restore the two-goal lead four minutes later, assisted by McLeod. The Lightning would score once late in the second period to make the score 3-2 after two periods, then tied it with 17 seconds gone in the final period, setting the stage for McLeod’s heroics. Goaltender Tyce D’Agnone stopped 30 of 33 shots for the win. The Thunder were back on the ice in Claresholm on Sunday, Dec. 8, where they thumped Bassano by a score of 9-2, after leading 2-1 after the first period and 4-2 after two periods before blowing the game open with five unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes. McLeod led the way with three goals and an assist, while Flynn had two goals and three assists, Bishoff had two goals and two assists, Colin Fancy had a goal and an assist, Franz had a goal, and Easton Wright had an assist.