Claresholm Thunder win Fernie tournament

The Claresholm Thunder rolled to four straight wins to claim the championship of a weekend Bantam hockey tournament at Fernie, B.C. The Thunder, made up of players from Claresholm and Fort Macleod, knocked off Pincher Creek, Airdrie, Lethbridge and Beiseker to win the championship. Thunder 7 Huskies 0 Thunder goalie Chace Martin was unbeatable as he backstopped Claresholm to a 7-0 win over Pincher Creek to open the tournament on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Thunder took control early, opening a 4-0 first-period lead on their way to victory. Roan Crowe led the offence with two goals and three assists and Jaxon Auld had two goals and one helper. Logan Jones, Ryan Burrows and Vann Woodman also scored for the Thunder and Britt Meech, Nathan Keller and Hayden Archibald each picked up an assist. Thunder 9 Airdrie 3 Another strong start carried the Thunder to a 9-3 win over Airdrie in their second game of the weekend. The Thunder took a 4-1 lead in the first period and never looked back. Keller scored a natural hat trick in the first period and added a fourth goal in the third period to lead the attack. Crowe had a goal and two assists, Jack Grier had a goal and one helper and Kailynn Vogelaar, Jones and Burrows also scored. Auld, Meech, Hayden Provost and Cohen Cutler each had an assist. Thunder 7 Lethbridge 1 The Thunder scored seven consecutive goals in their third game of the day Saturday on their way to a 7-1 win over Lethbridge. The Thunder scored two unanswered goals in the first, added three more in the second and popped two more in the third before Lethbridge got one past Martin with 3:20 to play. Crowe led the way with a hat trick and two assists and Keller scored twice. Jack Grier and Auld also scored and Jones and Cutler picked up an assist apiece. Thunder 3 Beiseker 2 The Thunder faced their toughest test of the weekend in the championship final Sunday morning, Dec. 15, and they rose to the challenge by edging Beiseker 3-2. Beiseker jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and held that margin into the third. Jack Grier started the comeback with the Thunder’s first goal 2.5 minutes into the third. Cutler assisted. Three minutes later Grier scored his second, unassisted, to pull the Thunder even. Six minutes later Auld converted a pass from Crowe to give the Thunder their first lead, and they held it to the end.