After enduring their second six-game losing streak of the 2022-2023 Heritage Junior Hockey League season, the Airdrie Techmation Thunder had built up a bit of frustration.  

Last night (November 18) the Thunder took out all of it on the Ponoka Stampeders, crushing them 12 - 1 at the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex.

The unusual thing about a game that would end with such a lopsided score was the Stampeders actually opened the scoring, less than four minutes into the opening period.  That, however, would prove to be the only time Airdrie would trail on the night with the Thunder scoring twice in the first, and five times in each of the second and third periods to pull away for the win.

It was a night of firsts for Airdrie with no less than six players notching their first goal of the season.  Joel Taniguchi actually scored his first two this year, including one that started the Thunder rolling.  Grady Hauk, Alex Gidluck, Hunter Jaman, Carter Hein and Owen Stevenson would also score their first goals this season.  

Two other members of the Thunder also had multiple goal nights with Cayden Hartnell and Reed Chalmers picking up a pair each.  Tanner Chapman was the other Airdrie marksman and also added three assists.  

Airdrie outshot the Stampeders 59 - 21 with Austin White picking up the W in the Thunder net.

In their other game this weekend, the Thunder fell 4 - 1 to the High River Brewing Company Flyers on Friday night.  High River, who despite a .500 record on the year are last in the tough South Division, led 1 - 0 after one period and stretched that lead to 3 - 0 after two. Rodie John Pickens would score early in the third, notching his second this season, but that was as close as Airdrie would come with High River scoring one more later in the period.  Brandon Jarman led the Flyers with two goals.

High River held a 45-25 advantage on the shot clock.  Josh Feddema took the loss for Airdrie. 

The weekend results leave the Thunder with a 4-12-1 record.  They move one point ahead of Three Hills and into fifth place in the North.  Last night the Thrashers lost 5 - 3 to the Rocky Rams.  

The Thunder will look to make it two wins in a row over Ponoka when they faceoff with the Stampeders on Friday night at the Ron Ebbesen Arena.  The puck will drop at 8:30 pm. 

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