Two 3rd period goals helped the Red Deer Rebels to a 2-1 victory over the Hurricanes at the Enmax Centre last night.
Not too much offence in the first period in this game. In fact, there were no goals in the opening 20 minutes. It was a fairly open period for the most part, but it took a while for the shots to accumulate. There was just one shot registered by each team 7 minutes in. After the period was over though, Red Deer held the edge 11-4. There were a couple of fights though. Austin Fyten went toe-to-toe with Red Deer's Justin Weller and then about 5 minutes later the Captains went at it as Carter Bancks dropped the gloves with Colin Archer. It's the second game in a row that Bancks has fought. No score after one.
In the second, both teams kept coming at each other, but again no offence. The game would remain scoreless through two periods. Linden Rowat came up with a couple of huge saves near the end of the second to keep the game at 0-0. Lethbridge had it's chances too, but Darcy Kuemper was able to shut the door at the other end of the ice too. Carter Bancks had a number of great chances, but couldn't find the twine. After two the Rebels were out shooting the Canes' 23-11.
In the 3rd, the Rebels broke the scoreless tie when Coaldale's Adam Kambeitz poked the puck passed Rowat during a scramble in front of the Hurricanes goal less than two minutes into the final period. The Hurricanes though would battle back to even the score on the power play not too long after. Carter Bancks ended a 17 game goal scoring drought to tie the game at one. The Rebels though would once again regain the lead when Landon Ferraro wired a shot from along the boards beating Linden Rowat on the glove side to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. The Canes' would put on the full court press late in an effort to once again tie the game, but they would fall short losing 2-1. Red Deer out shot the Canes' 33-20 on the night.
The Hurricanes have just one victory in their last 7 games, while Red Deer has won three in a row. Goal scoring continues to be an issue for this Lethbridge team and as Rich Preston has put it many times, that has been the Hurricanes Achilles Heal all season. Carter Bancks had a great game for Lethbridge though in a losing cause and was maybe the best player on the ice for either team. He was the game's first star. There was another fight in the 3rd too, as Brennan Yadlowski fought with Jordie Deagle. Yadlowski got the extra two minutes for roughing.
Preston on Power Play Struggles
I asked Head Coach/GM Rich Preston before last night's game about his team's power play struggles this season. The Canes' are ranked 20th in the WHL when it comes to the man advantage. I put the question to him as to how this team can generate more chances on the power play. Preston said, "Well we did a couple more this week at practice when it comes to our power play. Hopefully we'll get out of this funk. You know, scoring goals has been a problem for us. We have to work our butts off and battle for loose pucks. We have to do that all the time. We'll do a couple of different things on the power play, but still we have to get pucks and people to the net."
Next Up
The Hurricanes close out this three game home-stand tonight against the Prince Albert Raiders. They are 0-3 versus P.A. this season and will be looking to get a win tonight. The Raiders beat the Canes' in a shoot out in the last meeting in Prince Albert earlier this month. Game time is 7pm (MT) from the Enmax Centre. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.
Thanks,
Pat
The views expressed on this blog are those of the moderator and contributors and are not endorsed by 94.1 CJOC or the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Hey Pat!
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me when the Skate with the Canes is? I thought it was on Sunday January 31 but the radio is announcing it is today before the Prince Albert game. Just wondering which date is correct??
Thanks!!
Maybe they are having another one, but the 9 year old sitting next to me at the game last night said he just finished skating on a ice full of kids with the Canes?
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if the Canes home site was a little better attended to with info like this. They are always so poor at updating info on their site. Player trades, events, one of the worst WHL team sites in the league, for sure. - Richie.
To whoever organized this skating event and is limiting the free hot dogs to the first 100 people. Get real. Sobeys sponsors you and you charge us $3.00 for a pop at the game. Show some class Hurricanes. The kids are the only ones who are cheering for you this season. Learn a little PR and spend the $0.25 per kid. That ad in the herald shows how much you care about the kids. Pat great job with this blog. You seem to be the only source of hurricanes news. By looking at the site I was going to the game expecting to see Ashton and Beech play. Learn how to run a professional team Hurricanes. Please sell the team or start showing your customers you care just a little bit. Also I want to be there to see the look on kid 101 when he gets shut out of getting a hot dog. Stay classy Lethbridge.
ReplyDeleteThe Skate with Hurricanes takeplace Sunday, Jan 31 from 4:15 to 7:15 a the Enmax Centre. I'll have full details on it as part of my post-game report after the P.A. game. Watch for it just after mid-night.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Pretty classless that the Canes are only willing to feed the first 100 kids. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteAs for the website, I appreciate all the new photos and even enjoyed the word game (something fun and different!) but the information updating is simply not acceptable.
I am willing to bet the person that planned the skate is the same person in charge of the website. Hurricanes, use your communications guy to give your fans a better reason to go to the website and parents: feed your kids before the skate tonight just in case you don't get there early enough.
As always, great job Pat.
-cc