Coquitlam Adanacs played the Langley Thunder dead even through two periods Thursday. Then they played pretty much dead in the third.
The Thunder broke open a 5-5 deadlock by firing in the game's final four goals - all in the final 20 minutes - on way to a 9-5 triumph at Langley Events Centre.
The victory gave the Thunder a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association final series. Game 4 goes Saturday at 7:45 p.m. at Poirier Sports Complex.
The teams played to 3-3 and 2-2 standoffs in each of the first two periods before Kerry Susheski and Lewis Ratcliff scored two goals apiece in the first 13 minutes of the third to help the Thunder pull away.
After Coquitlam's powerplay was a hot five-for-seven in its 9-8 Game 2 win Tuesday, Langley turned the tables by going a sizzling five-for-six with the man advantage Thursday while holding the A's to just one powerplay goal on six odd-man situations in their favour.
Kevin Olson led all Coquitlam scorers with two goals and two assists. Ryan Johnson, Jason Jones and Dane Dobbie, who played hero Tuesday with three third-period strikes, had the A's other goals.
Nick Rose blocked 43 shots in the Coquitlam cage, while ex-Jr. Adanac Brodie MacDonald made 35 stops for Langley.
