EDMONTON - The Hurricanes erased a 3-0 deficit to tie the game, but the Oil Kings ended up holding on for a 4-3 win Sunday afternoon at Rexall Place.
The home town Oil Kings would get off to a solid start in this late afternoon contest against the Hurricanes. First it was Curtis Lazar who beat Ty Rimmer with a wrist shot late on an Edmonton power play. That gave the Oil Kings a 1-0 lead. Four minutes later Edmonton would strike again. Dylan Wruck's shot beat a screened Rimmer between the hash marks to give the home team a 2-0 lead. That held up for the rest of the period as Edmonton would take the two goal leading into the dressing room through 20 minutes of play. Edmonton out shot the Canes 16-6.
In the second, the Oil Kings would extend their lead. Edgars Kulda moved in and put a nifty backhander over Ty Rimmer to give the Oil Kings a 3-0 lead. The Hurricanes would then mount a huge comeback. On a 5-on-3 power play, Captain Graham Hood, who missed the last few weeks with a hand injury scored his 4th of the season to cut the Edmonton lead to 3-1. A few minutes later, Jaimen Yakubowski would get the Canes to within one when he scored on the power play for his 12th goal of the season. That cut the Edmonton lead to 3-2. Prior to this game, the Oil Kings had given up just 9 power play goals against all season. Less than two minutes after that, Yakubowski would get hooked back on a partial breakaway shorthanded and he would be awarded a penalty shot. Yakubowski moved in on the penalty shot, his shot was was stopped by Tristan Jarry, but the puck roll up his arm, down his back and in the net for the game tying goal. That would be Yakubowski's second of the game and 13th of the season. That goal evened the game at 3-3. Edmonton would regain the one goal lead late when Curtis Lazar scored his second of the game on the power play to give Oil Kings a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. The shots were 32-19 Edmonton.
In the third, neither team was able to light the red lamp and the Oil Kings would skate away with a narrow 4-3 victory. Edmonton out shot the Canes 35-24 in this game. The Canes went 2/4 on the power play as well as one shorthanded goal and Edmonton finished the game 2/6. The loss drops the Hurricanes record to 14-14-1-3 on the season. To this point in the season, the Hurricanes have played 32 games, the most of any team in the Western Hockey League.
HURRICANES THIS WEEK
Our weekly Hurricanes radio show is back on the air Monday night (Dec. 3) on CJOC. With the Hurricanes hitting the official halfway point in the season within the next week, it's time to bring back the Media Roundtable to discuss the first part of this season and a look ahead to the second half which includes the WHL's trade deadline in one month and a fair number of road games for the Canes as well. In fact after this next home stand, the Hurricanes will have played 23 home games compared to just 15 on the road so for this season. Paul Kingsmith from Global TV and Dylan Purcell from the Lethbridge Herald will join Fred Jack and I on the program. The show starts at 7:00 pm MST on CJOC.
NEXT UP
The Hurricanes head back home now for their next 6 games through the WHL's Christmas break. The Canes host Edmonton on Wednesday (Dec. 5), while Medicine Hat comes to next Friday and then the Kootenay ICE provide the opposition Saturday for the Hurricanes annual teddy bear toss game. Lethbridge will also host Kelowna, Kamloops, and Regina before taking off 9 days for the annual break. The Hurricanes don't play again on the road till Decdember 28th in Calgary. This will also mark the 3rd 6 game home stand for the Canes in the last 3 months.
Thanks,
Pat
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After getting little sleep last night and a bus ride to Edmonton to play one of the best teams in the country for a 4pm start, we battle back from 3-0 only to be robbed by the one thing our kids cannot control- the ref!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pile of horse dung the interference call on
Watson was! "This is a developmental league" - something I hear constantly and something I fully realize but athletes need to deciede outcomes not refs. The league should give Rich Preston one free blast on this one without a fine. That's the least we should get.
The interference call was really bad. Really bad. I was watching on the Internet feed. But the penalty shot call allowing Yak to score was almost as dubious. So maybe the one was payback for the other? But it would have been a better game without either call. The Edmonton play by play guy said the first part of the game was well officiated but he took that back after the interference call. It was shameful.
ReplyDeleteGlad the refs were bad because at least Harper is not being blamed for this loss. The refs and linesmen make terrible calls and miss calls in every game so not sure why anyone would expect it not to happen in this game. Since when have the linemen decided they could call offside or onside easier when they are 5 feet from the blueline. Richie just curious what the rest of the teams +/- stats are when Harper is in the lineup. With those Harper stats and given his very limited ice time if he is a problem maybe it is in the dressing room, because as I have said before 1 fourth line forward can not affect the on ice team that bad. Will Tai get his first home start this week? Lets go boys we need to win 2 of the next 3. AJ
ReplyDeleteHarping on Harper...He is not the only slow poke on this team. Trouble is, with so much speed on this team, the slower players really stand out. Harper and Axel do stand out. Axel should be moved down a couple of lines in order to give the top two lines more give and go. If I was going to use Axel on the power play it would only be to park his body right in front of the goaltender. However, with Hood (thank heavens) back in the lineup, he gives us that. Good to see Soffilas back in the line up. More speed! Here's a kid who could have easily packed it in....but give him credit he stuck with it, got himself healthy again and earned his way back into the lineup. Smart young man! Still think Preston needs to make a move for a big, fast skating, goal scorer either 18 or 19yrs old. With Adam Henry back after Christmas, another decision comes on the blue line.
ReplyDeleteSix big home games coming up. Need to win at least 4.
RJ
How much would a 93-94 born experienced character forward (like a Chorneyko/Wuchterl) cost? Don’t think we have to swing for the fences but I think that type of player would bring stability and add depth to the youngest team in the league. HLR
ReplyDelete