Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Hurricanes Beat Red Deer Rebels 3-1

LETHBRIDGE - Brody Sutter scored twice as the Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the Red Deer Rebels 3-1 at the ENMAX Centre Tuesday night.

It was a scoreless hockey game until the late stages of the period, when the Rebels would open the score on a nice wrist shot by Colten Mayor. That made it 1-0 Red Deer. A few minutes later the Hurricanes would get a 5 minute power play. Red Deer's Alex Petrovic was assessed a 5 minute major and a game misconduct for a hit to the head on Hurricanes forward Jamal Watson. On the ensuing power play, the Hurricanes would tie the game. Cam Braes fired home his 11th of the season by Red Deer goalie Bolton Pouliot to even the score at 1-1. That's the way the period would end. The shots were even 9-9 through 20 minutes.

In the second, it was very similar to the opening period. The game stayed tied at 1-1 until late, when Brody Sutter found the back of the net for his team-leading 12th goal of the season. That would be all the offence in the second. It was a strong period for Lethbridge. The Canes held the edge in shots 24-15 through 40 minutes of play.

In the third, both clubs went hard at each other, especially the Rebels who were looking to even the game, but it came down to the final minute when the Canes put this one away. Brody Sutter scored into an empty net, short-handed as well to ice this game for Lethbridge and give the Hurricanes 3-1 victory. It was Sutter's second of the night and team-leading 13th of the year. The Hurricanes have now won 4 of their last 6 games. They out shot Red Deer 31-26 in this game. Lethbridge went 1/4 on the power play and Red Deer went 0/6. The win improves the Canes record to 7-20-0-1 on the season. That short-handed goal was the first of the season for Lethbridge and prior to this game, they were the only team in the WHL to not have scored a short-handed goal.

The Hurricanes played short-handed on the backend again last night. Both Daniel Johnston and Macoy Erkamps were out again with injury and Albin Blomqvist went down with the flu again. That's the third time the big Swede has been hit with the flu bug in the last month. Rich Preston said he tried calling up defencemen Joel Topping and Ryan Pilon, but Topping was sick and Pilon is taking exams. Cam Braes dropped back to play defence Tuesday night and Jay Merkley moved up to play in Braes' spot up front. Juraj Bezuch was also a scratch. He went down with the flu this week too and Preston said on the pre-game show that both Euros are "sick as dogs". With that, Preston expects both Johnston and Erkamps to be back and ready to go Saturday, which should give the Canes seven healthy defenceman again.

NEXT UP

The Hurricanes will play the Tigers in Medicine Hat Wednesday (Nov. 30). The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30. The puck drop at 7:00 pm (MST). It'll be just the second meeting of the season between these two Highway 3 rivals. The Hurricanes play at home Saturday (Dec. 2) when they host Saskatoon and then Sunday (Dec. 3) they Canes welcome the last of the U.S. Division teams to Lethbridge as the Spokane Chiefs are in town. The Hurricanes will be in B.C. all over next week.

Thanks,
Pat

8 comments:

  1. So happy with the effort! Good job to the Canes and what I see as some great developement. Watson is a star in the making.

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  2. I agree with Anonymous......from all reports last night, Watson has looked like a much more confident player the past few weeks and has made great strides in his game. Good to see!

    Merkley continues to impress me. The pass he made from the half wall to directly in front of the crease isn't something you see from a 16 year old. Hood just missed redirecting the pass, but it was a great scoring chance off of a pass. He has always looked like he understands the little aspects of the game to me and is another great talent.

    I thought it was funny on Global News last night how the lead into the sports was "the team would have a great year if the Hurricanes could only play the Rebels for the whole 72 game schedule". Hopefully, their play will transfer over to other teams.

    It feels to me like the team has turned a corner!! Keep it up boys!!

    Anyone heard about the injury to Erkamps??

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  3. Best rolling of 4 lines so far this year. Right call on Petrovic (Great call despite the whimpering RDR coach, refs!)

    With no disrespect to the Canes intended, the Rebels are a "One-Man Team" (with lousy goaltending, and a whining coach), and last night their "one man" (A.Kambeitz) didn't dress.

    Hood is still playing great, and at times the team forecheck and puck/player support was there, but if the Canes take as many penalties against the (struggling) Tigers tonight, and if they sit back in the third again, it won't end well for them. - Richie.

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  4. I agree with 10:28 about rolling all 4 lines. It is no surprise to me that the more you let the kids play on a set line, the more they settle in as a team. I was very glad in the 3rd that they didn't tighten the bench up like we've seen in the past. It takes the whole team to win the game, not just a select few. The defense did their job too, even without Erkamps, Johnston and Bloomqvist.

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  5. Nice to see the Canes win! They did it by playing simple hockey and getting on Red Deer. There could have been any number of three stars though Gailbraith and Henry played well on defence. Ramsay was a supreme pest and skated miles. Though Watson and Merkley played well as did Duke on a call up basis. Good game all around.

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  6. So ive got the day off here in Medicine Hat so ill be at the game but the thing that sucks I forgot all my Canes gear in LA except my hat jeeze eh. Ohya the Stanley Cup is in the HYat for the game tonight.

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  7. BrookA why don't we see you at the games anymore with your big flag? The guys with the red shirts never come either.

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  8. hey guys I havnt been at alot the games. I am now working on the oil rigs in and around southern ab and usually 2 weeks on and week off. And the Canes sched hasnt been that kind to me so due to work i havent been games its killing me. But tonights game was great their fans were just heckling me so much as sat beside the canes bench lol

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