Hurricanes @ Saskatoon

The Lethbridge Hurricanes bring a 2 game winning streak into their game tonight in Sasaktoon against the Blades.

The Canes' have won 3 of their past 4 games heading into action at the Credit Union Centre. This game could also be a first round playoff preview as these two clubs could very well meet up in a best of 7 series in 2 weeks time. The Hurricanes are coming off a rather dominating performance versus Red Deer on Wednesday in Lethbridge and a 4-1 win in Regina last weekend. Six different Hurricanes scored in the 7-1 victory against the Rebels a few nights ago, lead by Carter Ashton who scored twice including his team leading 30th goal of the season for the Canes'.

With 5 games to go in the regular season, Lethbridge and Kootenay continue a sea-saw battle for playoff positioning. The Hurricanes and Ice will play a home-and-away series next weekend which will likely go a long way to determining which team finishes in front on the other in the Eastern Conference.

Lethbridge officially clinched a playoff berth last night, eventhough they didn't play. With Edmonton losing, mathematically the Oil Kings can not longer catch the Canes' who are 9 points ahead of them in the standings. Although this has been an up and down season for Lethbridge, it's been a few years since this team has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Who knows, this Canes' team may turn some heads in the post-season. I would suspect the returning players from last year feel they have some unfinished business to take care of. Let's not forget either that the Hurricanes also have a lot more playoff experience going into the post-season this year than last season.

Before the Hurricanes focus on the post season, they still have two weekends of the regular season to take care of first. We do know the Canes' will make the playoffs, which team they'll face is still up for grabs.

Tonight's game in Saskatoon is a 6 o'clock start (Alberta Time). The pre-game show on CJOC at 5:30.

Daylight Saving Time (Picture at the top from cbc.ca)

Just a note that daylight saving time starts Sunday morning. When you go to bed tonight, put your clock ahead one hour! Tomorrow's game in Edmonton is a 5pm start from Rexall Place.

Canes' Route Rebels 7-1

The Hurricanes have now put in back-to-back strong performances, both victories, the latest being a 7-1 win last night at home against the Red Deer Rebels.

Lethbridge jumped out to a 3-0 lead less than 8 minutes in on goals by Carter Ashton, Ben Wright, and Austin Fyten. In the 2nd, they'd keep rolling adding two more goals by Zach Boychuk and Kyle Beach to go up 5-0 after 40-minutes and in the 3rd, two more would be added, one by Colton Sceviour and then Carter Ashton would add his 2nd of the game and team leading 30th goal of the season to go up 7-0. It looked like the Hurricanes were going to shutout the Rebels for a 5th time this season, but a defensive breakdown with only 1:41 remaining in the game ended the shutout bid for Juha Metsola as he was beaten on a shot by Rebels sniper Landon Ferraro.

In the CJOC post game show last night, Captain Ben Wright was happy with the win, but noted they weren't happy with allowing the late goal. "You know, we did end up winning 7-1 tonight, but we had lapses and that just can't happen, especially coming into playoffs. We have a shutout going with 2 minutes left and we have a couple turnovers, a couple lazy plays and it's in the back of the net. We just have to eliminate those plays that've been killing us all year. Come playoff time, we have to eliminate all plays like that".

The win puts the Hurricanes one point ahead of Kootenay into 6th place in the Eastern Conference with 5 games to go. Lethbridge will hit the road this weekend for games in Saskatoon Saturday and then in Edmonton late Sunday afternoon. Both games will be good tests for the Canes'. The games against the Blades could be a first round playoff preview and really for the first time this year Saskatoon will see Lethbridge with a full line-up. Last night's game was the also first time this season that the Canes' have started and finished a game with a full line-up and no mention of injuries. Let's hope it stays that way from here on in!

Canes' Host Rebels Tonight

Tonight will be the final meeting of the regular season between the Hurricanes and Red Deer Rebels.

The Canes' are coming off an eastern road trip that saw the team go 2 and 2, the last game being a real solid performance by every single player on the team. It was team victory in Regina on Sunday and something this team can use to build on and get better in the final 6 games of the season going into the post-season. Lethbridge sits in 7th spot in the Eastern Conference, one point back of the Kootenay Ice, which lost 3-1 to the Rebels last night in Cranbrook. The Canes' are also 7 points back of 5th place Swift Current.

One team the Hurricanes have had a lot of success against, has been the Red Deer Rebels. They've played them 5 times and have beat them 4 times, all shutout victories. Despite the scores, Red Deer has out shot Lethbridge in the majority of those games and really made the Canes' work for those 4 wins. Even though, the Rebels won't make the playoffs, they have a strong young team that will be fun to watch in the years ahead. From what I've seen so far, Red Deer is hard working group.

After tonight the Hurricanes hit the road again this weekend for stops in Saskatoon Saturday and Edmonton Sunday before returning home to play 3 games in 3 days next weekend to close out the season (Back-to-back vs. Kootenay and then Calgary on the 15th). The Canes' are looking to use the great effort in Regina this past Sunday as a springboard going into the playoffs.

Tonight on the broadcast, I'll be joined by Fred Jack in the broadcast booth. Fred in a local school teacher and helped out last year with the Hurricanes. He also has play-by-play and colour experience from the BCHL and the old Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League. He also organized and ran his own hockey school in Sherwood Park and coached Midget "AAA" in 2003-2004. He'll provide colour on the broadcast tonight.


"Gentle Vic" to Be Inducted Into the Albert Sports Hall of Fame:
The Lethbridge Hurricanes’ organization would like to congratulate hometown hockey hero, Vic Stasiuk, on his selection to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in the Athlete category.

Vic played or coached professionally for 18 years entering the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1949 before moving to Detroit where he helped the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup Championships in 1952, 1954 and 1955. Stasiuk would then move onto Boston where he was one of the three Bruins to form the famed “Uke Line” which also featured Johnny Bucyk and Bronco Horvath. In 1961 he returned to the Red Wings to complete his last three seasons as an NHL player.

Following his NHL playing career the big winger who jokingly refers to himself as “Gentle Vic” eased into coaching in the minors, first as a playing coach and then as a full-time bench boss eventually working his way back to the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, California Golden Seals and Vancouver Canucks.

Stasiuk would complete his coaching career giving back to junior hockey with the Taber Golden Suns, Lethbridge Broncos and Medicine Hat Tigers.

Despite sharing the same surname, Vic Stasiuk is not related to current Hurricanes’ General Manager, Roy Stasiuk.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in Red Deer on May 29th.

Canes' Announce Playoff Tickets

With the regular season coming to a close the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Lethbridge Ticket Centre have collaborated to design special ticket packages for playoffs.

Fans are encouraged to take full advantage of these offers so that they do not miss out on any playoff action. Call today to reserve your tickets for a fun outing for you and your family or your organization at the ENMAX Centre where the Lethbridge Hurricanes will entertain you with fast paced, hard hitting, exciting playoff action.

Please visit http://www.lethbridgehurricanes.com/?s=1&p=5433&op=160 for more information.

ATTENTION SEASON TICKET HOLDERS: Early Bird Rate expires 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 4th. All seats will go on sale to the general public Monday, March 16.

****March 14, deadline for Season Ticket Holders to purchase their 10 Game Playoff Packages prior to the public release of tickets. Season Ticket Holders will have the opportunity to purchase their seats at single game rates for Games 1 & 2 on March 15th. All seats not purchased in either package or single game tickets will be put up for sale to the general public March 16.****

(From the Lethbridge Hurricanes)

Canes' End Road Trip With Victory

(Above: A couple photos of the Brandt Centre in Regina. Great junior hockey rink! The layout is very similar to that of the Enmax Centre)

By far the best effort of the week for the Lethbridge Hurricanes last night in a 4-1 victory in Regina.

Players were sacrificing their bodies blocking shots, Juha Metsola was solid in goal and the young players were the catalysts in the Queen City. It was by far the best team effort of the week for the Hurricanes and with 6 games to go something very positive for this club to build on going into 3 more games this week.

The Canes’ managed a 1-0 lead after one after a wrap-around goal by Craig Orfino. Early in the 2nd, Zach Boychuk would make it 2-0 on the power play, and then the goal of the game came a few minutes later when Austin Fyten took a hit at center ice to move the puck ahead to Brody Sutter who skated in on a 2 on 1 and passed the puck across to Brent Henke for the tap in. It was 3-0 Canes’ at that point. The Pats got one back late, but Lethbridge would ice it with an empty netter in the 3rd to win it 4-1. The Canes’, especially the younger players paid the price to lead this team to victory. That’s the effort Lethrbidge needs to give each night and if they do, they we be very tough to beat. Last night was truly Hurricanes Hockey!

The win puts the Canes’ one point back of Kootenay for 6th place in the Eastern Conference. This week, the Hurricanes host Red Deer on Wednesday and then Friday, it’s back on the bus to play in Saskatoon Saturday and Edmonton Sunday. Only half a dozen games left before playoffs and now any combination of 2 Lethbridge wins or Prince Albert losses will officially clinch a playoff spot for the Hurricanes.

Tonight "Hurricanes This Week" in back on CJOC at 7 o’clock. Tonight’s guests include Canes’ Head Coach Michael Dyck, a pre-recorded interview with WHL Director of Officiating Kevin Meunch, and Jeff Holick, radio voice of the Kootenay Ice.

Canes' Lose 5-2 in Swift....@ Regina Tonight

(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.