Friday 20 September 2013

Tigers Dump Hurricanes 6-1 in Lethbridge

LETHBRIDGE - The Medicine Hat Tigers exploded for six goals as they beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-1 Friday night in front of 4400 fans at the ENMAX Centre.

After a feisty opening 10 minutes of this game, the Medicine Hat Tigers would open the scoring. Cole Sanford took a great feed from Logan McVeigh and he snapped a low shot past Jonny Hogue to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead in this game. Before the end of the period, the Hurricanes would get their first goal of the season when Jamal Watson stole the puck at the Tigers blueline and turned on the jets and beat Marek Langhammer to tie the game at 1-1. It looked as if that's the way the period would end, but the Tigers would get one more before the buzzer. Cole Sanford again off a nice drop pass would snap the puck over Hogue's blocker to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 8-7 Medicine Hat.

In the second, the Tigers would increase their lead. Boston Leier with a nice tip out front on the power play would give Medicine Hat a 3-1 lead early in the period. The Tigers would keep the offence coming. A few minutes later they'd add to their lead with Steve Owre stole the puck and moved in on a breakaway, beating Hogue to make it 4-1 Medicine Hat. That's the way the period would end. Shots favoured the Tigers 27-13 through two periods of play.

In the third, the Tigers would keep it coming with a few more goals. Kyle Stanton would score and then Curtis Valk followed that up with goal to give Medicine Hat a 6-1 lead and that's the way this one would end. The Tigers out shot Lethbridge 38-22 in this game. The Tigers finished the game 1 for 6 on the power play and the Hurricanes 0 for 3. Jonny Hogue, who started his first-ever game in the WHL took the loss. Assistant Coach Brad Lukowich said on the CJOC post game show that this was a learning curve for everyone, coaches and players and they would get back to fundamentals for the next game.

Next Up

The Hurricanes will play the back half of this opening weekend home-and-home set with the Tigers Saturday night (Sept. 21) this time in Medicine Hat. Game time will be around 7:40pm, following the Tigers home opener pregame announcements. Fred and I will be on the radio at 7:00 pm MDT with the pregame show from the Hat. Also, the Hurricanes don't play at home again until October 2nd when they host Calgary. Both games next weekend are on the road, September 27 in Kootenay (7pm) and September 29 in Edmonton (4pm). 

Thanks,
Pat

7 comments:

  1. Did Erkamps and Duke get injured? Long Run

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  2. They both did.
    Duke has a sore shoulder and I am not sure what Erkamps injury is.
    Dump'n Chase

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  3. This was a team loss! There is not one player who can say that they gave total effort for 60 minutes in both ends of the rink.

    A complete effort is needed in the Hat if the Canes want a different result.

    Hopefully Erkamps is better he is needed on defence! An update on Duke please!

    An Observer

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  4. Guess which former Cane player named Spencer Galbraith played with the Hitmen against Oil Kings last night?... We are going to MISS Spencer.... again.

    Hurricane Instigator.

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  5. Wong gave his total effort for 60 minutes in both ends, hence why he played almost half of the 3rd period and most of the pk's. He was always battling in the corners, alone I might add, and did really well on the pk, no goals against which is great considering the canes track record for penalty killing.

    From what I hear, Galbraith had a terrible attitude and brought nothing but negativity in the dressing room and I don't find that too shocking based on some of the things he did during camp and pre-season (throwing a fit in the penalty box amongst other things), the coach probablly noticed the negative impact.

    -C

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  6. Last night was terrible. The problem the canes have is with the 19 and 20 year olds. Especially the forwards, there is not any of them that deserve to be on the 1 or 2 lines. Most of them would not even make the cut on the top teams in the league. Why is Topping on this team he is the worst defenseman by far. He past more pucks to the Tigers then to his teammates. On a positive I thought Hogue played ok considering how bad the team played. Did not see him let in any easy ones. At least it can not get much worse.
    Kaos

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  7. Team was not good, true. Tigers speed, transition game and passing killed them.

    Bigger story here for me in this home opener is how incompetent the officating is in this league.

    The Tigers cheat in various ways and still get away with it every year.

    Cox running through Hogue with absolutely nobody near him before there was any score in this game is the way they get it started for themselves... Clouston trains his player to accidentally on purpose send the opposition tender's lid flying and what should have been a 5 minute major, just cost his team 2 minutes on the pk early in a scoreless game. Small price to pay to put a little fear in the young tender and build a lot of momentum for the visiting team for the rest of the game... And it sure WORKED.

    More cheating? Wong was hit from behind into the boards in this game about 4 times with no calls.

    Watch the Tigers 5th goal on the WHL website highlights, and explain how even the worst referee in minor hockey can't see the already-once-suspended-THIS-YEAR #10 (Broadhead) interfere with the Canes defender. Yes, this is called interference. It is not within the rules to obstruct or interfere with a player that doesn't have the puck. There is no other way to see it. Recognizing he was the middle man on a 3 on 1, Broadhead ignores the puck altogether and pushes the Canes defenceman right past Hogue ensuring his two remaining players have an easy 2-0 past Hogue... no call by the two blind mice, just the goal.

    What should have been a goal waived off and a 2 minute powerplay for the Canes to try to make it 4-2 ends instead at centre ice 5-1 for the visting cheaters.

    Pretty tough to play against a decent opponent AND clueless refs. Get a clue, WHL!

    Hurricane Instigator.

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