LETHBRIDGE - Four third period goals by Medicine Hat erased a 3-1 deficit as the Tigers beat the Hurricanes 5-4 last night.
A really solid start for the Hurricanes in this game. After the Canes' handed out their annual player awards, they opened the scoring on an early power play goal by Graham Hood. That put the Hurricanes up 1-0, but the Tigers would even the score on a man advantage of their own. Captain Wacey Hamilton put a shot between the legs of Linden Rowat on a three-on-one rush as the Canes' got caught pinching in the Tigers zone and paid the price for it. The two goaltenders in this game, Rowat for the Hurricanes and Tyler Bunz for Medicine Hat had great first periods as both players came up with some huge saves. The Tigers out shot Lethbridge14-10 through 20 minutes.
In the second, the Hurricanes took a 2-1 lead on what was really a fluky goal. Landon Oslanski dumped the puck in to the Tigers zone. Bunz went out to place the shoot in from centre, the puck took a funny bounce right in front of the Medicine Hat goal and Phil Tot was there to tap it into the empty goal to give the home team a 2-1 lead. The Tigers though had a great chance to tie the game with a two man power play for an entire two minutes, but were unable to beat Linden Rowat. Things got a little more entertaining with 2:30 to go in the second as on old fashioned line brawl broke out at centre ice, even the two goalies met in the middle, dropped the gloves and went toe-to-toe in a big time bout. The two officials had their hands full from that point on. The old highway 3 rivarly is certainlyl alive and well! The Hurricanes weren't done offensively before that period ended. Jacob Berglund scored his 9th of the year after puck went off his skate and in, beating Devon Dubyk. The goal went to video review, but after a long look-see it stood, putting Lethbridge ahead 3-1 after 40 minutes. The shots after two period favoured Medicine Hat 23-22. Dubyk replaced Bunz and Brandon Anderson replaced Rowat after two goalies were kick out of the game after that fight earlier on.
In the third, the Tigers came storming back. Two goals by Medicine Hat in a span of 47 seconds early in the period from Bretton Cameron and Taylor Gal turned a 3-1 Lethbridge lead into a 3-3 tie in a blink of an eye. Canes' goaltender Brandon Anderson looked shaky to start the third. The Tigers would grab the lead for the first time when Bretton Cameron scored his second of the night to give Medicine Hat a 4-3 lead. Not to be out done, Lethbridge would tie it up when Brody Sutter stripped Thomas Kundratek of the puck and scored on a breakaway to make it a 4-4 game, but that wasn't enough. The Tigers would complete the comeback when Matt McKay put the puck passed Anderson to make it 5-4 for the visitors. The Hurricanes couldn't find another equalizer and that's the way the game would end. The final shots were 39-28 as the Tigers had a huge third period. Hats off to Medicine Hat for a spirited comeback and a very exciting game.
What a game it was! The fans got their pennies worth last night that's for sure. It was certainly playoff-like. Those in attendance were treated to a very entertaining hockey game from start to finish. The game had a little bit of everything. It was a fitting finish for the final home game of the season at the Enmax Centre. After the game, Carter Bancks, Linden Rowat, and Dustin Donaghy were given a standing ovation by the Enmax Centre crowd as they all played their final WHL games in Lethbridge.
Hurricanes Give Out the Hardware
Prior to last night's game, the Hurricanes presented their annual player awards. Here's a run down on the winners:
Hit of the Game Award: Dustin Donaghy
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Linden Rowat
Community Relations Award: Carter Bancks
Hockey Hounds Scholastic Player of the Year: Phil Tot
Hardest Working Hurricane Award: Mike Reddngton
Top Scorer Award: Carter Bancks
Three Stars Award: Cam Braes
Top Defenceman Award: Brennan Yadlowski
Rookie of the Year: Mitch Maxwell
Perseverance, Dedication, and Sportsmanship Award: Austin Fyten
Most Valuable Player: Carter Bancks
Injury Update
(F) Max Ross played his first game last night since he broke his leg back on December 18th in Kootenay. He replaced (F) Ryon Moser who wasn't feeling well and sat the game out. (D) Brandyn Hulit factored in on the backend in place of the injured (D) Reid Jackson. He tweaked his groin in practice earlier this week.
Next Up
The Hurricanes will close out their season tonight on the road in Medicine Hat. Game time is 7:30 (MT). Don't forget too that Daylight Saving Time begins tomorrow morning so before you had to sleep tonight make sure you put your clocks ahead one hour.
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.
nice send off, the canes didn't even have the respect to come on the ice and send their fans off on a good note..not that they deserved a good send off on this disaster of a year.great job mr preston.......
ReplyDeleteBoils down to goaltending....Rowat stays in the game and the Canes likely would have won the game......After the bruhaha...Tiger goalie gets ready, comes on ice and warms up, stretches, etc while Anderson eventually gears up and stands in the box before starting his stint---no preparation and did not make enough big stops to help the team.
ReplyDeleteThen too, Tiger coaches fire up their team in the intermission, while we wonder what happened in the Cane dressing room before the 3rd period.
I also was disappointed that the Canes didn't raise their sticks to the fans from centre ice at the end of the game; except I believe the players may have felt that WE didn't deserve the acknowledgment. We didn't exactly fill the stands this year, so who can blame the kids? Nice move by the team and staff to have all the players available for autographs at the end of the well-played game. Now Canes, give yourselves some lasting summer memories and go beat Dancin'-Willie in front of a sell out of drunkin inbreds in the Hat tonight!
ReplyDeleteFirst Anonymous:
ReplyDelete1) Hard to say what the outcome would have been had Rowat stayed in. Impossible for you to speculate those things accurately.
2) After the goaltender change, Dubyk stopped 5 of 7 shots (71%) while Anderson stopped 12 of 16 shots (75%). I don't think I would be blaming Anderson's warm-up on this one.
3) The only way you would know if the Tiger coaches "fired up their team" and the Hurricane coaches stood there scratching their heads would be if you were in both dressing rooms. Unless you were, you have no way of knowing which coach did what. Again, it's your speculation.
Maybe look at the game as being a close one that wasn't decided until the final seconds and congratulate the boys on a job well done. After all, it's over.
-cc
Why should the boys come out and say thanks to all the negativity that brews throughout this so-called hockey town. Why should the boys come out to the lousy numbers of fans who love to complain, blame, and whine!
ReplyDeleteAt least there are some of us who appreciate the "no-quit" attitude of one of the youngest teams in the league. I wonder if Rich and Matt have had anything to do with the "no-quit" attitude that is obvious with this team? You can bet they have.
Oh sure blame Anderson, blame Preston, heck why not blame Rowat for getting into the fight with Buntz.
Why not join all the media in this city who have spent the whole season complaining about the lack of scoring, faulty specialty teams and the young defense who make mistakes?
Disaster of a year..who created that mess? Instead of inheriting a penthouse, Preston inherited an outhouse.
I am looking forward to next year's camp to see some of the exciting young talent that will likely force some of the current players out of the lineup.
Thanks Carter for 5 years of great hockey!
RJ
The media complaining? I don't think so RJ. With all do respect the lack of scoring and troublesome specialty teams is a fact not a complaint. The stats clearly show it. I hardly think us in the local media are to blame. Even Mr. Preston has said numerous times that the lack of scoring has been the Canes biggest issue. Just my two cents!
ReplyDeleteHow many times do you have to beat the drum head until it breaks?
ReplyDeleteWe are all aware that scoring was a problem. To constantly repeat it game after game after game, wears a little thin. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that scoring and specialty teams were a problem. It is a fact, yes, but to have it continually brought up is pointless. Only furthers the negativity that abounds throughout.