Usually, a hockey team is either great on offense and has some defensive gaps, or excels on defense but really can't get things going too well offensively.  

Which is exactly what makes it so hard to face the Airdrie Thunder.  When you outscore teams by a margin of 31 - 0 like the Thunder did this weekend, it's hard to pick which part of your game is better, offense or defense.

Yesterday (January 13) Airdrie skated into Ponoka and blanked the Stampeders 10 - 0.  Airdrie product Tyler Petrie collected a hattrick and added an assist.  Jordan McConnell had two goals and a pair of helpers for another four-point night.

Zac Giroux, Tristan Paquette, Luke Jensen, Barrett Sheen, and Rylan Plante-Crough also had goals for Airdrie.

Ryan Simpson blocked 19 shots for the shut out, giving both Thunder goaltenders goose eggs this weekend.  On Friday, Jackson Little stopped 15 shots as the Thunder crushed Three Hills 21 - 0.  In total, Airdrie outshot their opposition 143 to 34.

Next action for the Thunder is on Friday when they play host to the Stettler Lightning at the Ron Ebbesen Arena starting at 8:00 pm.  

In another Heritage Junior Hockey League game yesterday, the Cochrane Generals continued their win streak with a 6 - 2 win over the Wranglers in Blackfalds.

The Gens have now won nine games in a row and have moved to within one point of second place Okotoks in the Southern Division.

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