Under-11 Thunder beat Coaldale Cobras
By Rob Vogt
The Under-11 Claresholm Thunder opened 2025 with a win on home ice in Central Alberta Hockey League Tier-3 action.
The Thunder hosted Coaldale at Claresholm Arena on Saturday, Jan. 4, winning by a score of 8-5.
Claresholm led 3-2 after 20 minutes on goals from Quinn MacIntyre, assisted by Cruz Kornfeld and Courtland Blake; Blake, assisted by Lincoln Groves and Rhet Schuler; and MacIntyre, assisted by Burke Heggie.
The Thunder took control in the second period with three unanswered goals to lead 6-2 after two periods.
Claresholm goals came off the sticks of Austin Larkin, assisted by Heath Flynn; Blake, assisted by Kyden Vandervalk and MacIntyre; and Flynn, assisted by Kornfeld and MacIntyre.
Coaldale responded with three goals in the third period, but Claresholm added two of their own to make 8-5 the final score.
Scoring for the Thunder were MacIntyre, assisted by Blake; and Blake on the power play, assisted by MacIntyre and Schuler.
The Thunder hit the road on Sunday, Jan. 5, where they dropped a tough 3-2 decision to High Country at Oilfields Regional Arena in Diamond Valley.
MacIntyre gave Claresholm a 1-0 lead in the first period with an unassisted marker, but High Country tied it four minutes later to make the score 1-1 after 20 minutes.
Claresholm again took the lead, just under two minutes into the second period, with a goal from Flynn, assisted by Vandervalk, but the home team answered with two goals to lead 3-2 after two periods.
There would be no scoring in the final period, making the final score 3-2 for High Country.
The Thunder closed out 2024 with two games as well.
They visited Vulcan on Saturday, Dec. 21, coming home with a 4-3 win.
After a scoreless first period, the Hawks opened the scoring only to have Heggie tie the game seven minutes later, assisted by Blake and Kornfeld.
MacIntyre would give the Thunder a 2-1 lead with an unassisted effort, but Vulcan tied the game 2-2 with exactly one minute left in the second period.
MacIntyre gave Claresholm a 3-2 lead five minutes into the third period with another unassisted goal.
Again Vulcan tied the game, only to have Claresholm win the game 4-3 when Blake scored, assisted by MacIntyre.
The Thunder were back home on Sunday, Dec. 22, where they got into a shoot out with Okotoks at Claresholm Arena, losing by a score of 10-6.
Scoring for the Thunder were MacIntyre, unassisted; Owen Martin, unassisted; Blake, assisted by Heggie and MacIntyre; Macintyre on the power play, assisted Schuler; Groves, assisted by Larkin and MacIntyre; and MacIntyre, assisted by Blake.
More Minor Hockey coverage in this week’s Local Press.
