LETHBRIDGE - The Lethbridge Hurricanes scored goals in the final seconds of both the first and second periods as they beat the WH- leading Kamloops Blazers 4-2 at the ENMAX Centre Friday night.
The Hurricanes got things going in this game. Just prior to the midway point in the period, the Canes would open the scoring on their first shot of the hockey game. Graham Hood's pass was deflected in off the stick of Sam McKechnie to give Lethbridge a 1-0 lead. That was McKechnie's 16th of the season. The Blazers came back to even the score when Aspen Sterzer lifted a backhander over Ty Rimmer to tie the score at 1-1. It looked like that's the way things would stay, but late in the period, the Hurricanes would regain the lead with a power play goal. With just 5 seconds remaining in the period, Brady Ramsay's shot would beat Kamloops goalie Taran Kozun to make a 2-1 Lethbridge lead after 20 minutes. The Blazers out shot the Canes 14-9.
In the second, the Blazers would get the game back to even terms. Chase Souto beat Rimmer late on a Kamloops power play to tied the game up at 2-2. After that Lethbridge took things over. Jaimen Yakubowski would continue his hot streak scoring on a 5-on-3 power play to give Lethbridge a 3-2 lead. That was Yakubowski's team-leading 20th goal of the season. Late in the period, the Hurricanes would get one more. With only 3 seconds left on clock, Craig Leverton would knock home his 6th of the season to give the Canes a 4-2 leading heading into the dressing room. That was also a power play goal for the Hurricanes who went 3 for 6 on the man advantage through 40 minutes of play. The Hurricanes held the edge in shots 25-23.
In the third, the Hurricanes had a few great chances with the power play to put this game away, but couldn't beat Kozun and on the other side Ty Rimmer shut the door and kept the Blazers off the score board as the Hurricanes would skate away with a 4-2 victory. This game turned out be extremely chippy. Even Coach Rich Preston was fired up behind the bench and near the end of the game had words with Kamloops Coach Guy Charon. The were plenty of penalties in this one. The Lethbridge power play was the different in this one, going 3/10. Kamloops finished the night 1/3. The victory improve the Canes record to 17-15-1-4.
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HURRICANES THIS WEEK
Our final program of 2012 will air Monday night (Dec. 17) on CJOC. Our guests include Hurricanes President Brian McNaughton with his mid-season Board Report, Hurricanes Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel Brad Robson, and Dan Marshall, the radio voice of the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers as talk heats up again on Vancouver Island about the WHL in the Harbour City. The show starts at 7:00 pm MST oon CJOC.
NEXT UP
The Hurricanes next action is Tuesday (Dec. 18) when they play host to the Regina Pats in their final game of this current 6 game home stand. It'll also be the last game the Hurricanes play until December 28th as the team will head off for the WHL's annual Christmas break. It'll be the 3rd meeting of the season between Lethbridge and Regina. Game time is 7:00 pm MST. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.
Thanks,
Pat
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Sounded like a solid effort to me as I listened on the radio. Good job by the Canes to net get goaded into taking dumb penalties especially with how chippy things in the third. It's also nice to hear that Preston was showing some fire. Good win against a top ten team in the country regardless of Lipon not being in the lineup. Keep it up and get two more points from Regina before the break.
ReplyDeleteNN
Chippy puts it politely. I don't blame Preston one bit for being ticked at Charron in the last minute of the game. Charron throws out a line of goons and of course what happens? Goonery (no such word). Solid effort all the way round, but Alex still is a concern. Another win to start the Christmas break would be great.
ReplyDeleteRJ
Great game last night against a big and talented Kamloops team. I thought the veterans really stepped up last night. Hood and Ramsey upfront and Johnston and Rimmer on the back end...solid effort and the leadership the team will need in the second half. TD
ReplyDeleteI was certainly impressed with the boys' restraint last night. They were not backing down, but neither were they initiating. I was disappointed to see a team of Kamloops' talent level resorting to such moronic tactics, but at the end of the day the PP goals were the difference, and sometimes the hockey gods actually reward the good guys. When the boys play "Hurricane hockey", with agressive forechecking and doing everything else at high speed, good things happen. Keep it up, boys!!
ReplyDeleteChuck
What an unbelievable display by what I USED to think was a top notch team and organization. Kamloops should have a number of players suspended for head shots and hits from behind after this one. Good for the Canes to not let them intimidate us. If I was Kamloops owners and or Gm I would be discusted with what happened during this game. Charon complained to the Refs the whole game and should have been tossed out just like they would have in other sport. GREAT WIN FOR THE BOYS AND GREAT TO SEE THEM BEAT UP ON THE BLAZERS ON THE SCORE SHEET WHERE IT MATTERS. Out hustle and pessure on the puck win another one AJ
ReplyDeleteHats off to the Canes for staying so focused and disciplined last night. They didn't back down but their discipline won them the game.
ReplyDeleteI think it is safe to say there is probably not a team in the CHL that has 4 of their starting 6 D men as rookies and the 5th is a sophomore . I saw Johnston doing a lot of talking to his D teammates last night. Fantastic leadership on his part and great job by the group for hanging in their against a talented team. Sam
Nice effort and congratulations to the Canes and their coaches for defeating the number 4 team in the CHL! (HOW is PA still number 10 on that list, and Calgary NOT on it?)
ReplyDeleteGood thing the Loops remembered to play their back-up tender; I feel so bad when we chase the number one tenders from the league leader's net.
I wonder what history Preston and Charron have? their NHL careers only overlapped by 2 seasons. I believe that Charron still owns the unenviable record of having played the MOST games in the NHL (over 700) without ever having played in a single NHL post-season game!
Speaking of Tantrums... Maybe Preston thought he was in Kelowna??Remember the "Water-bottle incident?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLFaZltFRrM&feature=player_embedded
KLEIN-The-Narcissist was the star of that game... NOBODY can take center stage as masterfully as KLEIN! HALL OF FAME, FOR SURE! (MORON)
Richie.
Richie. Even though the WHL is well-represented in the most recent rankings, it seems to be a bit of a mystery as to why some teams are on the list and some are not. I'm sure it's hard to narrow the list down to 10 teams.
ReplyDeleteDarren
Some useless stats.....CHL rankings are confusing to say the least. If it is based on points then it would likely be: Halifax 58, London 58, Portland 55, Kamloops 54, Owen Sound 49, Calgary 48, Kelowna 48, Blainville 48, Spokane 47, Quebec 47, Edmonton 47.
ReplyDeleteHowever if you go by winning percentage. Halifax .879, Portland .833, London .829, Calgary .727, Owen Sound .721,
Spokane .712, Quebec .712, Edmonton .712, Kamloops .711, Blainville/Kelowna .706
Either way you look at it, Calgary should be on the list and not PA.
RJ