A tough loss for the Lethbridge Hurricanes last night again the rival Medicine Hat Tigers.à
The game was delayed about 40 minutes as the Hurricanes/Broncos Alumni Committee inducted former coach John Chapman and the 6 Sutter brothers who played their junior hockey with the Broncos into the organization's Hall of Fame. It was a great ceremony that had a high quality video presentation showing a little bit about all 7 inductees. They were brought onto the Enmax Centre ice in convertables, and after the speeches were read, the game got underway. Only 3 of the Sutters were able to make it, Rich, Ron, and Duane, but the other 3 were represented by their older brother Gary, the eldest of the Sutter brothers. A tip of the Hat to all those involved!! A classy move by the Alumni committee headed up by Dick Gibson.
Once the game got going, the Tigers would open the scoring and the Hurricanes would tie the game shortly after to even things at one after 20 minutes. Lethbridge played a strong first period out shooting the Tigers 13-6. In the 2nd though, Medicine Hat would make some between period adjustments. The Tigers scored 3 times on 9 shots to take a 4-1 lead, Luca Sbisa added a late goal to cut the Tigers lead to 4-2 after 2. In the 3rd, the Hat would go up 5-2 and eventually go on to win it 6-3 with an empty netter. Dwight King and Carter Aston would notch the other Hurricanes goals. Lethbridge went 3 for 7 on the power play.
Lethbridge lost intensity after the first. It was the Tigers that came out more determined in the last 40 minutes. The Hurricanes will need a full effort and a more energized game tonight in the rematch in Medicine Hat. The loss drops the Hurricanes 6 points back of the Tigers in the standings with 11 games to go. If the Canes still want a shot at 4th place, tonight is a must win in regulation. Lethbridge can not afford to be 8 points back of the Tigers. That would make 4th place much tougher. If the Hurricanes though can pull this one out tonight in the Hat, this mini-weekend series would pretty much cancel itself out and the spread would once again be 4 points. Talking with Assistant Coach Matt Kabayama in the CJOC post game show last night, he alluded to the fact the team lost the intensity and focus in those final two periods. No doubt the point are important, but as I have said before, getting better and playing consistent hockey in the final weeks of season is equally key heading into the playoffs.
Tonight will mark the first of 5 straight road games for the Canes. After this game, it is off to Saskatchewan and Manitoba for 4 games next week. The Hurricanes next home game is March 4th vs. Red Deer.
Game time tonight from Medicine Hat is 7:30. The pre-game show on CJOC at 7.
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Saturday, 21 February 2009
Friday, 20 February 2009
Canes' Host Tigers Tonight
The rivalry resumes tonight as the Lethbridge Hurricanes host the Medicine Hat Tigers.
This is the front end of a home-and-away series between the two teams. The re-match is tomorrow in the Hat (7:30pm). These will be the last two times the Canes' and Tigers play in the 08-09 regular season and there still is a chance the clubs could meet up in the playoffs in a few weeks time.
This is a big weekend for both teams no matter how you approach it. Medicine Hat leads Lethbridge by 4 points in the Eastern Conference standings. The Canes' have 12 games to go, while the Tigers have 11. The Hurricanes will tie the Tigers in points if they win both games outright in regulation, while Medicine Hat can put an 8 point buffer between themselves and the Canes'. For both teams, winning these two games in regulation is no doubt the key and will go a long way to deciding which teams finishes ahead of the other.
Of course the last meeting brought fireworks at the end in a 7-5 Lethbridge win at the Enmax Centre January 21st. A line brawl in the final minute resulted in a number of suspensions levied by the WHL. I don't know if any of that will spill over into this weekend, given the excitement at the end of the last game a month ago. I'm sure it will be exciting and entertaining no matter what.
The Hurricanes have 5 wins in their past 10 games, while the Tigers have only 3 victories in their last 10 hockey games. Medicine Hat has given up a lot of goals against since they were last in Lethbridge. Keeping the puck out of the net has been one of the challenges for the Tigers in recent weeks and something I'm sure they'd like to fine tune going into the post-season. For the Hurricanes, a focus on being consistent in the final games is likely something they're focusing on. Lethbridge plays it's next 5 games on the road after tonight.
Tonight's game is a 7 o'clock start. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30. Tonight in the broadcast booth I'll be joined by former WHL official Cory McLean. Cory just retired from refereeing 6 months ago and is looking at getting into the broadcast side of hockey. He'll provide the colour tonight. Should be an interesting perspective for sure!
This is the front end of a home-and-away series between the two teams. The re-match is tomorrow in the Hat (7:30pm). These will be the last two times the Canes' and Tigers play in the 08-09 regular season and there still is a chance the clubs could meet up in the playoffs in a few weeks time.
This is a big weekend for both teams no matter how you approach it. Medicine Hat leads Lethbridge by 4 points in the Eastern Conference standings. The Canes' have 12 games to go, while the Tigers have 11. The Hurricanes will tie the Tigers in points if they win both games outright in regulation, while Medicine Hat can put an 8 point buffer between themselves and the Canes'. For both teams, winning these two games in regulation is no doubt the key and will go a long way to deciding which teams finishes ahead of the other.
Of course the last meeting brought fireworks at the end in a 7-5 Lethbridge win at the Enmax Centre January 21st. A line brawl in the final minute resulted in a number of suspensions levied by the WHL. I don't know if any of that will spill over into this weekend, given the excitement at the end of the last game a month ago. I'm sure it will be exciting and entertaining no matter what.
The Hurricanes have 5 wins in their past 10 games, while the Tigers have only 3 victories in their last 10 hockey games. Medicine Hat has given up a lot of goals against since they were last in Lethbridge. Keeping the puck out of the net has been one of the challenges for the Tigers in recent weeks and something I'm sure they'd like to fine tune going into the post-season. For the Hurricanes, a focus on being consistent in the final games is likely something they're focusing on. Lethbridge plays it's next 5 games on the road after tonight.
Tonight's game is a 7 o'clock start. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30. Tonight in the broadcast booth I'll be joined by former WHL official Cory McLean. Cory just retired from refereeing 6 months ago and is looking at getting into the broadcast side of hockey. He'll provide the colour tonight. Should be an interesting perspective for sure!
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Attendance Strong at Enmax Centre
Since the Christmas break, attendance numbers at Lethbridge Hurricanes home games recently have been quite good.
The Canes' have played 13 games since returning December 27th and the smallest crowd was 3528 and that was against the Vancouver Giants. In recent weeks, the Canes have managed to pack in some big numbers, including 5336 three home games ago when the Calgary Hitmen paid a visit. There've also been recent crowds of 4806, 4462, and 5264 all in the past month. I did a little number crunching (not my best attribute!) and in the past 13 home games, the Hurricanes attendance has averaged 4286 per game.
It's great to see so my people in the seats lately in Lethbridge and with the upcoming game tomorrow against the Tigers, you can bet it'll be sold out again. After tomorrow's match-up there are only 3 home dates left for the Canes before playoff time (Red Deer, Kootenay, and Calgary).
The Canes' have played 13 games since returning December 27th and the smallest crowd was 3528 and that was against the Vancouver Giants. In recent weeks, the Canes have managed to pack in some big numbers, including 5336 three home games ago when the Calgary Hitmen paid a visit. There've also been recent crowds of 4806, 4462, and 5264 all in the past month. I did a little number crunching (not my best attribute!) and in the past 13 home games, the Hurricanes attendance has averaged 4286 per game.
It's great to see so my people in the seats lately in Lethbridge and with the upcoming game tomorrow against the Tigers, you can bet it'll be sold out again. After tomorrow's match-up there are only 3 home dates left for the Canes before playoff time (Red Deer, Kootenay, and Calgary).
Monday, 16 February 2009
Canes' Win Weekend Games
It was a good Family Day weekend for the Hurricanes.
In two games, the Hurricanes didn't allow a goal against shutting out Kamloops 2-0 on Friday and then blanking the Red Deer Rebels 3-0 on Saturday. Juha Metsola recorded his 5th shutout of the season Friday, while Michael Tadjdeh recorded his 2nd shutout of the year Saturday. In 5 games this season between the Canes and Rebels, Lethbridge has shutout Red Deer 4 times. The Boys from the Bridge surly have the Rebels number. The two teams will play one last time in Lethbridge in early March. The win on Saturday was also the Canes' 30th victory of the season. The Hurricanes have won 3 of their past 4 games. Juha Metsola left the game after tweaking something making a save at the end of the 1st period Saturday. With 4 days off now till the Friday game, he'll have plenty of time to rest up and get ready for a big weekend of hockey.
Yesterday, the Hurricanes hosted a brunch for the families of the players. The parents of all the players were able to make it to town except for 3. It was a great weekend to see their sons, brothers, grandsons play and two victories to boot. It's also a nice thing for the players to get a good shot of family before things get very busy going into the post-season. Juha Metsola's parents and sister came all the way from Finland while Luca Sbisa's mother made it in from Europe to spend the weekend. I tip my hat to the Hurricanes organization for putting on the event.
It'll be a huge weekend of hockey for Lethbridge coming up. This Friday and Saturday the Canes' and Tigers will play a home and away series which will likely go a long way to deciding which team finishes ahead of the other. The last time the teams met a month ago, there were fireworks at the end which likely rekindled the old Highway 3 rivalry and who knows, they could meet in the first round of the playoffs too. Wouldn't that be fun!
Tonight "Hurricanes This Week" is on the air on CJOC at 7 o'clock. Dylan Purcell, Sports Editor at the Lethbridge Herald will co-host the program with me. Our guests include Gregg Drinnan from the Kamloops Daily News and James Gallo, voice of the Moose Jaw Warriors. We'll also take some calls and emails. With 12 games to go in the regular season, it should be a fun, fast final 3 weeks!
In two games, the Hurricanes didn't allow a goal against shutting out Kamloops 2-0 on Friday and then blanking the Red Deer Rebels 3-0 on Saturday. Juha Metsola recorded his 5th shutout of the season Friday, while Michael Tadjdeh recorded his 2nd shutout of the year Saturday. In 5 games this season between the Canes and Rebels, Lethbridge has shutout Red Deer 4 times. The Boys from the Bridge surly have the Rebels number. The two teams will play one last time in Lethbridge in early March. The win on Saturday was also the Canes' 30th victory of the season. The Hurricanes have won 3 of their past 4 games. Juha Metsola left the game after tweaking something making a save at the end of the 1st period Saturday. With 4 days off now till the Friday game, he'll have plenty of time to rest up and get ready for a big weekend of hockey.
Yesterday, the Hurricanes hosted a brunch for the families of the players. The parents of all the players were able to make it to town except for 3. It was a great weekend to see their sons, brothers, grandsons play and two victories to boot. It's also a nice thing for the players to get a good shot of family before things get very busy going into the post-season. Juha Metsola's parents and sister came all the way from Finland while Luca Sbisa's mother made it in from Europe to spend the weekend. I tip my hat to the Hurricanes organization for putting on the event.
It'll be a huge weekend of hockey for Lethbridge coming up. This Friday and Saturday the Canes' and Tigers will play a home and away series which will likely go a long way to deciding which team finishes ahead of the other. The last time the teams met a month ago, there were fireworks at the end which likely rekindled the old Highway 3 rivalry and who knows, they could meet in the first round of the playoffs too. Wouldn't that be fun!
Tonight "Hurricanes This Week" is on the air on CJOC at 7 o'clock. Dylan Purcell, Sports Editor at the Lethbridge Herald will co-host the program with me. Our guests include Gregg Drinnan from the Kamloops Daily News and James Gallo, voice of the Moose Jaw Warriors. We'll also take some calls and emails. With 12 games to go in the regular season, it should be a fun, fast final 3 weeks!
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