LETHBRIDGE - Jay Merkley scored twice as the Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the rolled over the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-2 Friday night at the ENMAX Centre.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes came out like a house on fire in the first period of this game. Cam Lanigan came up with several key saves for Medicine Hat, but in the final two minutes of the period the Hurricanes finally found a way to get a few pucks by the Tigers netminder. Brady Ramsay scored his 4th of the season on a scramble out in front of the Medicine Hat goal to make it 1-0 Lethbridge and then just before the end of the period, the Canes would make it 2-0 when Ryan Pilon snapped home his 2nd of the season. Lethbridge would take a two goal lead into the dressing room following 20 minutes of play. The Canes out shot the Tigers 19-6.
In the second, the Cane Train kept rolling with two more goals early in the period, both from Jay Merkley. Merkley notched his 6th of the season, beating Cam Lanigan to make it 3-0 Lethbridge and then just 3:30 later Merkley would score again, his 7th of the year off a nice pass from Jamal Watson. That made it 4-0 Lethbridge and that was it for Cam Lanigan in the Tigers goal. Marek Langhammer would come in to relieve the Medicine Hat starter. It was also the 3rd time in the last 5 games the Hurricanes have chased their opponent's starting goalie. The Tigers though would settle down after that and would start clawing their way back into game. After Jaimen Yakubowski nearly made it 5-0 by snapping one off the post, the Tigers came right back the other way and Hunter Shinkaruk ripped a hard shot by Ty Rimmer to cut the Lethbridge lead to 4-1. A few minutes later the Tigers would get another one, this time on the power play. Trevor Cox got his stick on a point shot, tipping the puck in, making it a 4-2 lead for Lethbridge after 40 minutes of play. The Hurricanes held the edge in shots 35-19.
In the third, the Hurricanes would keep up the pressure pounding another 18 shots on the Tigers goal. Medicine Hat pulled their goalie late in the period, but couldn't find a way to get another puck by Rimmer. Russ Maxwell fired one into an open goal to seal it up with his team-leading 12th goal of the season. That made it 5-2 Hurricanes and that's the way the game would end. The Hurricanes hammered tonnes of rubber on the Medicine Hat goal as the out shot the Tigers 53-29. Both teams finished the night 1/4 on the power play. It also the 3rd time in the last 6 game the Hurricanes have pumped 50 or more shots on the opposition's goalies.
The victory improves the Hurricanes record 2 two game above. 500 to 9-7-1-1 on the season for 20 points in 18 games and 4th place overall in the WHL's Eastern Conference.
NEXT UP
The Hurricanes play game 5 of this home stand Saturday (Nov. 3) as they host the Saskatoon Blades for the second time this season. The Blades have made a few trades since the two teams last played a month ago. The Blades trail the Hurricanes by 6 points in the Eastern Conference. They're coming off a victory Friday night in Cranbrook against the Kootenay ICE. Game time from the ENMAX Centre is 7:00 pm (MDT). The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30. The Canes will host the Victoria Royals next Wednesday night (Nov. 7) to close out the home stretch.
Thanks,
Pat
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Amazing what happens when you put the puck on the net. 3 games with 50 plus shots and 3 wins.
ReplyDeleteGreat win Canes!!
ReplyDeleteDarren
Great win..great crowd Keep playing Hurricane Hockey
ReplyDeleteThanks to the Canes! 50+ shots! They sent the locals home thrilled, and the drunk MH fans home to think about their new streak. No fights on ice or off; good.
ReplyDeleteLOVE watching MERKLEY perform lately with LEVERTON and WATSON; both offensively and defensively!
RIMMER > Lan-itsinagain
Tough game for AX-BLOM I thought. Kind of got pushed around last night, though his line handled Shrinkwrap very well. Valk didn't have a good game, but when Shrinkwrap had the puck, he was always dangerous.
Think we can chase Makarov from the net tonight? Saskatoon won in Cranbrook last night despite being outshot badly. Lucky for us, this may mean they have saved some extra energy for us tonight? Should be fun! - Richie
What an absolute pleasure to watch. When the boys play their pressure, cycling, speed, and intensity game, they are hard to beat. I hope that at some point, this team becomes blood thirsty, and keeps their foot on the pedal, as they have been a little guilty of "letting" other teams back into the game. I would also like the defense to become a little nastier, and make standing in fron of our net a bad idea. Overall, however, way to go boys!
ReplyDeleteChuck
Cane train "The RELENTLESS EXPRESS" derailed the Tigers. The did a great job in shutting down their two big guns. Medicine Hat looks rather mediocre with those two under wraps.
ReplyDeleteWe owe Saskatoon big time! No sense giving them any hope tonight. Another 50+shots would be great.
Saskatoon hosting the Mem Cup this year.....is the WHL Brass worried?
RJ
Great win for the Canes. They got back to the out hustle and puck pressure way of playing. The Merkley line looked great, the Leverton, to Watson, to Merkley in the net was a beauty. Here are a couple of things to work on from last night. Hood needs to shoot when he is in the prime spot instead of pass, and some of the guys need to hustle more getting back on defense. Lets keep it going for tonights game and keep up the great work boys. AJ
ReplyDeleteGreat game last night. I thought our D was a little over aggressive on pinching a few times, but learning when to pinch and when not too comes with experience. Merkley is looking like a 3rd overall bantam pick. It's been a total pleasure to see his development thus far this season. I thought Yaks did a great job setting the tone in the games first shift. I do think we got a little complacent once we got up 4-0 but the boys righted that in the third. I would also say that is the best game I've ever seen Klein ref. usually it's all about him but that wasn't the case last night. The only call that was totally brutal was made by Hall so that was a pleasant surprise.
ReplyDeleteNN
RJ.....I hope the WHL Brass get what they deserve for always pandering to the almighty dollar!! Maybe if the Blades fall flat on their face the league will start rethinking their dollar-based philosophy. (but I think it would have to happen more than once to penetrate Ron Robinson's metal plate!)
ReplyDeleteDarren
Interesting to note that the Canes are 6-1-1-1 since Brady Ramsay returned from suspension and have outscored the opposition 38-20 (1 one those goals is from the Vancouver shoot-out victory)
ReplyDeleteThis season with Ramsay in the lineup: 8-3-1-1
This season without Ramsay in the lineup: 1-4
CanesFan17
Great game to watch last night. The Tigers are a two player team with Shinkaruk and Valk and the Canes smothered them all night. Great pressure up front with the Merkely Waton line and once again Maxwell had a strong game. Hood is struggling. He is slowing down that line and I think Ramsey would be even more productive if he had some support. At some point the team needs to look at swapping Hood out for a more productive 20 year old. Pilon played well on D and Johnston shut every Tiger down. Blades won't lay down tonight so Canes will need a great effort again tonight! TD
ReplyDelete