Daigneault hat-trick helps Thunder reverse score on Mustangs

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The Perth Thunder reversed the score to defeat the Melbourne Mustangs 6-2 at the Medibank Icehouse on Sunday afternoon.
 
Luc Daigneault was the difference for the visitors, scoring a hat-trick with the Thunder’s first three goals, including his response to Drew Akin’s goal of the year entry from Saturday’s game.
 
Thunder coach Dave Kenway was happy with the fight his team had shown after being beaten by the same score the night before.
 
“The boys dug deep we knew it was going to be a tough game but we came together as a team and played for each other,” Kenway said. “We got back to our style and systems that worked for us at the start of the season.”
 
Mustangs coach Brad Vigon said the Thunder just out worked and out hustled the home side.
 
“They wanted it more than we did simply enough,” Vigon said. “They used the game plan we did last night and shoved it right in our face. They were hungry for the rebounds; they were crashing the net early on, got a couple of goals and we were playing catch up after that and couldn’t seem to get it going to me. The effort just wasn’t there to me.”
 
The Mustangs got off to the best possible start with Brendan McDowell opening the scoring early in the game, just beating Mark Guggenberger’s glove.
 
The score didn’t hold for long with Daigneault locking it up after chasing up his own shot from the point, backhanding in the rebound through a sea of legs.
 
This set up a grinding style of play for the remainder of the period with both sides strong on the forecheck.
 
It took until 35 seconds left in the period for Daigneault to give the Thunder the lead.
 
It was set up by Toni Kluuskeri coming across the Mustangs’ crease, shooting the puck into Fraser Carson’s pads, rebounding to David Kudla who was patient enough to beat the desperate last-ditch defensive effort, shooting the puck into the back of the net with a tip in from Daigneault.
 
The second period saw only Daigneault’s hat-trick goal and his contender for the goal of the year.
 
Coming into the zone, Daigneault threaded the puck untidily through the defenceman’s legs, having to turn around to regather the puck before dragging it past a sprawling Carson, to slot the puck behind the Mustangs netminder.
 
However, the Mustangs didn’t stop trying, particularly on the power play shortly after the goal, including requiring a diving poke-check from Jordie Kyros to clear the crease. But they kept the home side out held onto the 3-1 lead at the final break.
 
From there, the third period went the Thunder’s way with goals to Kudla, Liam Jeffries and Kluuskeri, giving the Thunder a 6-1 lead.
 
However, it was not through lack of trying from the Mustangs, putting plenty of shots on goal until Pat O’Kane cracked Guggenberger’s defences with just over six minutes remaining, scoring off a rebound.
 
Despite the goal, it didn’t spoil the performance of Guggenberger, who stood on his head to keep the Mustangs out in the third period as they piled on the offensive pressure.
 
“Mark has been a great addition to the team and now he has a few games with the boys and they know what he wants it brings a lot of confidence back to our players knowing the skill level of our goalie,” Kenway said. “He makes some great saves and really helps the defence out.”
 
The Thunder were also down players with Luke Judson out for the Sunday game and Toni Kluuskeri missing most of the second period, but Kenway said his Australian players “stepped up well and played a great game”.
 
“We kept it simple and we really saw players like Liam ‘Fudge’ Jefferies show his skills along with [David] Kudla and [Jordan] Kyros. It was great to see,” Kenway said. “Luc back to scoring and playing hard was great also. I feel we got back to how we started the season and it works for us.”
 
For the Mustangs, Vigon said it had been frustrating to be sitting in seventh at this stage, especially after losing a few close games early this season.
 
“I think it’s just looking deep within ourselves as a team and an organisation and figuring out whether we really want it or not at this point,” Vigon said. “We’ve got the talent; the boys know what to do; they know what the coaching staff is asking them to do; they know that when they do what we’re telling them to do, we’re successful.”
 
“Hopefully the guys are going to lick their wounds now and soak in the defeat and figure out how much they don’t like it and come back stronger and better. In my mind, what is happening is that these teams want to beat us more than we want to beat them at this point and it’s costing us dearly in my mind.”
 
Next week, the Mustangs go on the road, taking on the North Stars in Newcastle on Saturday and the Bears on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Thunder head home to take on the Adelaide Adrenaline in Perth.