Happy Thanksgiving!The Lethbridge Hurricanes are coming off a three game Saskatchewan road trip with only one point to show.
The Canes dropped a 3-2 decision in Moose Jaw, lost 5-4 in a shoot out in Regina, and then a 6-3 defeat in Swift Current. After three weeks of this new WHL season, the Hurricanes sit with a record of 2-4-0-1. Lethbridge is hurting with the injury bug at the moment. In Swift Current on Saturday, the Hurricanes scratched Brody Sutter, Reid Jackson, Michael Sofillas, Austin Fyten, Brandyn Hulit, and Jay Merkley. All six missed the game with various injuries. Assistant Coach Chris Chisamore wasn't too happy on the CJOC post-game show after the Saturday loss, saying the veterans on this team are going have to play better, plain and simple if the Hurricanes are going to be successful. That said, I thought some of the youngsters like Erkamps, McKechnie, and Watson played well on this latest trip.
This week is one of the busiest stretches for this Hurricanes club with 5 games in 8 days, including games against Edmonton, Red Deer, Swift Current and two games versus Kootenay. Besides the Broncos, every one of those teams the Hurricanes face in the next week are well above the .500 mark. It's very important that the Hurricanes pick up a few points during this next week. The Canes also have to cut down their roster to 25 players this week and also get down to three overages. It'll be a busy week for Head Coach and G.M. Rich Preston on and off this ice.
HURRICANES THIS WEEK
On our Thanksgiving edition of Hurricanes This Week, Fred and I will be joined by forward Austin Fyten, who is out six months with a knee injury. We will then be joined by Assistant Coach Chris Chisamore. . The show starts at 6:00 pm (MDT) on CJOC. The program will be available for download on the CJOC website within an hour after the show ends.
Thanks,
Pat
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The Canes seem to be on a roller coaster ride. Great one game ie Pats then so-so the next ie broncos. Coaches have to get them motivated to play every game like they did against the Tigers and Hitmen..we know they can ...enough said. Big week good time to get some points and move up on the leaders....GO CANES GO
ReplyDeleteThis is the same refrain we heard last year " the veterans have to play better." If they are not going to play better get rid of them trade, cut them, send them a message they understand. It makes no sense sitting talking about it the message has to come across.
ReplyDeleteAgree with the last blogger, but also should be pointed out that there aren't a lot of veteran forwards on this team. The defence (veterans or not) is weak and we all knew that going into this year. If the coaches thought the defence was going to be better, they were dreaming/hoping as I don't see a lot of quality players on the back end.
ReplyDeleteThe loss of some players to injury (Sutter, Moline and Merkley) is a big blow to the forward's depth, so that has to be taken into consideration when talking about the veterans as well).
I think they have 3 Decent D men Johnston, Erkmamps and Ryckman and Ryckman struggles a lot at times and Erkamps had great potential but is small and still learning the game. The others are fillers...Blomquist has struggled but has potential. They need to ride the 3/4 D they have and give spot duty to the rest. Having said they there have been a lot of goals against this year that have been long shots with no screens going in....that has to end.
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