(Above: A couple of pictures of the Credit Union I-Plex in Swift Current. The building was renovated last year)
Well, it appears the Hurricanes are going to have to settle for either 6th, 7th, or 8th place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
Last night’s 5-2 loss in Swift Current, dampened the hopes of catching the Broncos or Medicine Hat Tigers for 4th and 5th. With 7 games remaining in the regular season, the Hurricanes still find themselves on that teeter-totter, up one day and down the next. This team has been battling to find consistency all season long.
Last night in Swift Current, the Canes’ opened the scoring on a short-handed goal by Zach Boychuk in the 2nd period. A nice shot beating Broncos goalie Travis Yonkman. Swift Current later tied it up at one heading into the 3rd. A defensive breakdown led to the Broncos 2nd goal and that I thought is where the game changed. The home team would add 3 more after that and go on to win it 5-2. Dwight King scored the Canes’ other goal on a power play late in the 3rd. The loss drops the Hurricanes 3 points back of Kootenay and only 4 points up on 8th place Edmonton. The first period was pretty lack-luster with only one shot registered through the first 14 or so minutes. Both goalies played well, Juha Metsola and Travis Yonkman. I thought the Broncos played fairly well, and so did the Canes' until the goal that made it 2-1 Swift Current. Again, I think that's when the momentum changed.
I’ve been talking a lot about fine tuning in the last 10 or so games for Lethbridge. This team has yet to find it’s groove and they don’t have much time either. The Canes’ are going to have to figure this thing out fast.
Tonight, the Canes’ will close out this 4 game road trip in Regina. The Pats have been a struggling hockey team ever since the Christmas break. They’ve been having trouble winning and by the looks of it won’t be making the playoffs either. The Pats have slipped fast and hard since the last part of December. This is a team I thought would have been more around the middle of the pack in the East, not on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
The Hurricanes I think have to play desperate hockey now, like it's game 7 of a playoff series. Lethbridge will make the playoffs, that I’m confident of. I just hope the Canes’ find that groove before then. They need to hit a stride.
Tonight’s game from Regina is a 5 o’clock start. The pre-game show on CJOC at 4:30.
I think that playing around 500 hockey is a good thing at this time of the year... If you look at last year they were 4 wins and 4 losses in the last 8 games. It's better to go into the playoffs with an even level of emotion than on a high. Home ice means nothing as the Canes beat the Hitmen 4 straight in the East finals last year!
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