Hurricanes learn valuable lessons from weekend home losses

By Lethbridge Herald on March 18, 2025.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes learned their lessons from a pair of home ice losses this past weekend that they look to address as they conclude the regular season and prepare for playoffs.

The Canes blew a 4-1 third period lead and ended up falling to the Medicine Hat Tigers 6-5 in overtime.

“It goes to show how important momentum swings are,” said Matt Anholt, Canes associate head coach.

“We have to learn there to shut that down (and) get back to playing our game. We played a really good game for about 45 minutes and when they started getting the pedal down, I think we were a little caught off guard of the momentum swing. So good learning lesson for our group there.”

Anholt thinks it was a lesson in sticking to the game plan.

“We were playing really well through 45 minutes and we came off of it and that’s how momentum can be in the playoffs when a rink’s sold out like that, said Anholt.

“You kind of feed off the crowd’s energy and the energy dipped significantly in that third period when they were scoring and I think our guys need to figure out ways to come out of that a little better.”

The Canes were entrenched in a tight battle with the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday and came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 score.

“I think our group was a little bit I would say frustrated at times because of how tight checking it was,” said Anholt.

Anholt thought that the Canes can’t get frustrated and cheat through the game when offence is not coming.

“It was tough weekend for us,” said Logan McCutcheon.

“We played some real good teams for sure. But I think that we did some good things in there too and I think we can prove that we can play with the top teams in this league.”

While the Canes will work on those areas, they will look to continue to build chemistry as they conclude the regular season this weekend as Miguel Marques and Jordan Gustafson returned to the shuffle last week.

“Our chemistry probably isn’t all there right now with lines and who’s gonna play with who,” said Anholt.

Marques wants to see the Canes ready to go in these last couple games in the lead up to playoffs.

“Just making sure we’re starting on time, competing throughout the full 60 minutes and not taking our foot off the gas,” said Marques.

“It’s real important that we take care of business this last weekend and do what we can to get as prepared as possible,” said McCutcheon.

Lethbridge ends the regular season this weekend when they host the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday before a road game at the Tigers on Saturday.