Canes Beat Kootenay ICE 5-4

Ryley Lindgren scored the game winner with just 1:13 remaining in the third period as the Lethbridge Hurricanes held on for a 5-4 victory over the visiting Kootenay ICE Friday night at the ENMAX Centre.

The Hurricanes had a great start in this game, taking a commanding 3-0 lead through the opening 20 minutes. Egor Babenko got things going early. Less than a minute into the game, he scored his first of the season to make it 1-0 Canes. Less than a minute later Lethbridge struck again. Jordy Bellerive potted his 2nd of the year to give the Hurricanes quick 2-0 lead. It stayed the way until the late stages of the period. That's when Jesse Zaharichuk put home his first of the season. That made it 3-0 Lethbridge through one period of play.

In the second, the Kootenay ICE charged back with a trio of goals to tie the game. Keenan Taphorn cut the Hurricanes lead to 3-1. Then less than a minute after that, Barrett Sheen got the ICE to within one, when he scored making it a 3-2 hockey game. Kootenay completed the comeback a few seconds after that off the opening face-off at centre ice. Zach Zborosky scored and just like that, in a span of roughly 90 seconds, the Hurricanes 3-0 lead evaporated into a 3-3 tie.

In the third, the Hurricanes regained the lead. A power play goal from newly-acquired Brennan Menell gave Lethbridge a 4-3 lead. Kootenay though, again just wouldn't go away. Barrett Sheen scored his second of the night to even the score at 4-4.  It appeared this one was headed for overtime until Ryley Lindgren finished things off, scoring his 2nd of the year with just over a minute to go in regulation time to give Lethbridge a 5-4 lead and that's the way this one would end.

The Hurricanes out shot the ICE 46-29 in this game. The Canes finished the night 1.4 on the power play and Kootenay was 0/1. The victory improved the Canes early season record to 2-1. The Hurricanes are back at home Saturday (Oct. 1) as they play host the visiting Calgary Hitmen.

Thanks,
Pat