Under-18 Thunder win fundraising game

By Rob Vogt
It was an emotional night at the Claresholm Arena last Friday, when the Claresholm Under-18 Thunder were playing for more than a two points in the standings.
Instead, on this night they were playing for Tristen Mackin who, not too long ago, had also worn the Thunder jersey.
Recently, Mackin suffered serious injuries in a truck rollover, and the game Friday night, Feb. 2, served as a fundraiser to help offset the costs of his recovery.
People were invited to “Bring the Thunder for Tristen” and the hometown Thunder did not disappoint the large crowd in attendance, skating away with a 5-3 win over the Fort Macleod Mavericks.
The Thunder carried the play much of the first period, outshooting the Mavericks 15-6, but both sides could manage just one goal as the teams went into the first intermission tied 1-1.
Claresholm’s goal came off the stick of Captain Clayton Van Langen, with assists from Carson Ring and Ty McLean.
Just over a minute into the second period, Reid Schooley gave Claresholm a 2-1 lead, with help from Nathan Keller, then about nine minutes later Van Langen made the score 3-1 with assists from Keller and Seannon Ocampo.
Just 30 seconds after that the Thunder struck again as Ty McLean dug the puck out from behind the Maverick net and centred to Kaden Pothegadoo who made no mistake, upping Claresholm’s lead to 4-1, going into the second intermission.
Halfway through the third period, Keller scored an unassisted goal to make 5-1 the score, but Fort Macleod did not give up.
Just 23 seconds later the Mavericks scored, then scored again 11 seconds after that, to cut Claresholm’s lead to 5-3.
That was as close as they would get though, as Claresholm shut the door and skated to the 5-3 victory.
Goaltender Zackery Hann made 20 saves to earn the win in net.
The Thunder hit the road on Saturday, Feb. 3, travelling to Coaldale and returning home with a 10-3 victory, on the strength of two goals in the first period and four each in the second and third periods.
Scoring for Claresholm were Kaden Potheagdoo, assisted by Van Langen and Blake Cisar; Schooley, assisted by Keller; Schooley, assisted by Ocampo; Vann Woodman, assisted by Schooley and McLean; Keller, assisted by Colby Symens and Schooley; Woodman on the power play, assisted by Schooley; Joey Van Rootselaar, assisted by Woodman and Ring; Woodman on the power play, assisted by McLean; McLean, assisted by Cisar; and Symens, assisted by Keller and Schooley.
Goaltender Finn Buhmiller turned aside 28 shots to earn the win in net.