The Lethbridge Hurricanes season came to an abrupt end Friday night at home with a 7-2 loss to the visiting Regina Pats.
The Hurricanes came out very flat in what was a must-win game. They were down 3-0 after the first five Regina shots and after the first period was done, it was 4-0 Pats. Perhaps it was playoff elimination jitters, but it wasn't the way the packed ENMAX Centre crowd expected the Hurricanes to come out.
The Canes were simply out played in this series. Game One was great. The Hurricanes took advantage of a Pats team that was quite frankly bad in that game and the Canes lit them up and were well-deserved for a 6-3 victory. However, give Regina a lot of credit, because that loss turned out to be a major wake-up call for John Paddock's group. They rattled off four straight victories after that, including two shut out wins in the series.
I think most Hurricanes backers would agree the match-up against Regina wasn't a good one for Lethbridge, especially given the regular season games the two clubs played. The Pats kind of had the Canes number this season and that, unfortunately for the Hurricanes, carried over into the post-season as well.
Look at it this way, it may have been just five playoff games, but for a team that should be returning the majority of its players next season, that post-season experience should be huge going into a new year this fall. Lets face it, no one expected the Hurricanes to become the team they have in such a short period of time. After missing the playoffs for seven straight years, getting to the playoffs was a big deal, let alone winning the Central Division. That's something no one can take away from this group.
This team reignited excitement around WHL hockey in Lethbridge for the first time in a long time. Although I wasn't in the broadcast booth to call the games, it was a hell of a lot of fun being in the stands as a fan for a number of these games. To feel the electricity around the ENMAX Centre and the excitement of the fans. To see the season end Friday was sad, but this team has absolutely nothing to its head low about, zero!
GM Peter Anholt and Head Coach Brent Kisio did amazing jobs this season. Anholt built a competitive, high-scoring team and gave Kisio the on-ice tools he needed to get the job done. Both deserve credit. Anholt is the architect of this team and if he doesn't win WHL Executive of the Year there is something seriously wrong in my opinion.
One thing if for sure, if this organization is finally back on track after years of downward spirals, then the future in certainly bright!
Thank you Hurricanes!
Cheers,
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.
Not sure how you can say that the organization is back on track for sure.
ReplyDeleteOn the ice they had one fluke regular season and were easily whipped in the play-offs which wasn't a surprise with the crap roster they have.
Off the ice it is still the same morons running things, going to games is still a bad experience and they still treat fans like crap.
Bad organization is still bad.
Congrats on losing Hurricanes you fully deserved that loss and many more in the future.
Geezuz Moon try a little support and compassion. What is your deal with the Hurricanes anyway? Are you related to someone they fired? Did they sell your season ticket out from under you? What happened that has made you not just negative but absolutely vindictive?
ReplyDelete-cc
Not related to anyone with the team and I gave up my season tickets all on my own (although they did steal money from me before I was able to fully get out).
DeleteI love junior hockey and would love to support the team but the way this organization treats fans off the ice and the on ice decisions they continue to make there is no way I can support them.
Hopefully changes can and will be made as it would be great to get back to games and bring my kids out to the games as well.
What on-ice decisions are being made that are so bad that you cant stand to watch them? And what is being done so poorly off ice that has fans being treated so poorly? And you do realize that every person with the exception of 1 or 2 inside the organization is new right.
DeleteHiring Rich Preston, Brad Robson and Peter Anholt would be the 3 biggest mistakes. Then obviously Drake Berehowsky after that. Putting in bad hockey guys to make hockey decisions because they come cheap is an awful way to run a team.
DeleteAwful trade, after awful trade giving away good players, and even worse good young players for crap is pretty bad. Wasting high draft picks. Bringing in crappy 20 year olds to patch issues. Useless Euros. The list goes on and on.
Having a roster with zero impressive players is pretty terrible especially considering how long this team has been rebuilding with high picks.
Off ice yes I know most of them are new. There have been improvements made but going from god awful horrific to terrible doesn't mean things are good now.
La la la la la sing that happy song!!!!!!
DeleteYah, things are aweful. Anholt is going to win executive of the year, Kisio is nominated for coach of the year. A division title, the best home record in the league, the 1st 100 point guy in a long time, an all-star member, 3 American League contracts and 4 players represented their country this year. No impressive players here, and nothing to look forward to really. Moon, go buy your kids another video game, they wouldnt enjoy watching the most exciting team in the division anyways.
Delete@ moon 5 April 2016 at 07:31
DeleteMoon you miserable motherfu@ker. Your posts are just too funny. No one can really be as out to lunch and crazy as you pretend to be. Good on you for continuing you imbecilic tirades. At least we know you are faithful and committed to your lunacy. I might have agreed with your last post about a year or 2 ago.
Do you not realize that almost everything has changed with the Canes over the last little while? To keep this short…..get caught up with the times. This entire franchise has had the complete 180 degree turn around you have been begging for. You are just to obstinate to see it.
I don’t expect you to change your mania but try buddy. It might actually get you out of the dark dungeon you currently occupy when it comes to all things CANES. If not, OK by me. I can continue to laugh my a$$ off at your posts.
GO CANES GO!!!!
canesrock
Complete 180 turn?
DeleteSo they sold to a private owner? I am sorry I missed that.
Good change if they did since we have seen public ownership with a moronic board running the team has worked so well on and off the ice.
Feel great about the pathetic 1st round exit for this team though. Keep patting yourself on the back supporting a horrific franchise.
The Canes were a surprise this year but sound like they have a lot of returnees so should make for an exciting 2016-17 season.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunate that T Wong's frustration came out when it did...Canes had some momentum even tho Wagner's goal put some cushion in the lead.
Don't understand Coach Kisio not being very sportsmanlike after the game ...bush league to say the least. At least Mr Anholt had the nads to show some class.
Curious to know why our coaching staff didn't go out after the game to shake hands as the Pats' coaches did. That was a very poor disply of sportsmanship in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteGood job on the season though Hurricanes. You made hockey fun again.