Hitmen edge Canes to take Game 3

By Lethbridge Herald on April 15, 2025.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Brayden Edwards pushes his way by the Calgary HitmenÕs Lukas Hansen while he battles with Axel Hurtig for the puck during WHL second-round playoff action at VisitLethbridge.com Arena on Tuesday night.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes dropped Game 3 of their second round series 5-3 to the Calgary Hitmen on Tuesday night at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

“I didn’t think we were very desperate tonight,” said Bill Peters, Canes head coach.

“I didn’t think we were very hard on pucks in the offensive zone, (we) didn’t get in the goalie’s eyes to the degree that we needed to, to create some chaos in that situation.”

Trae Johnson scored the Canes first goal in the game and felt they gave Calgary more life as the second period went on and combined that with mistakes is what led to the loss.

“We know we can’t give them those good chances, (and) gotta limit our mistakes,” said Johnson.  

The Hitmen got the ice breaker in the game when Carson Wetsch broke in off the wing  and flipped the puck passed Canes goalie Jackson Unger 6:16 into the second period.

Connor Hvidston assists on Wetsch’s goal. 

The Canes tied the game when Trae Johnson skated down on a 2-on-1 and beat Anders Miller low glove side a little under four minutes later.

Kash Andresen assisted on Johnson’s first of the postseason.

Calgary took their second lead of the game when David Adaszynski jammed in a rebound 14:38 into the middle frame from Kalem Parker and Ethan Moore. 

Lethbridge’s Shane Smith tied the game 2-2 when he walked and wristed it passed Miller 6:21 into the third period.

Logan McCutcheon and Kai Anderson assisted on Smith’s goal. 

Axel Hurtig gave Calgary a 3-2  lead when he wired a slap shot from the blueline that found the back of the net at the 10:22 mark of the third.

Brandon Gorzynski and Carter Yakemchuk assisted on Hurtig’s first of the postseason. 

Wetsch  flew the puck into an empty net from his own end to give the Hitmen a 4-2 lead with 1:19 to go in the game.

The Canes got the game to within a goal when Caden Price scored  with 39 seconds to go in the game.

The Canes then scored into their own net after a passing miscue in the offensive end led to the puck going all the way down the ice into an empty net with a second to go in the game to give Calgary a 5-3 lead. 

“ Just gotta have a memory of a gold fish here and come tomorrow and be ready to play,” said Johnson.”

Lethbridge outshot Calgary 29-23 in the game. 

The Canes lead the series 2-1 and will look to get back on track in Game 4 tonight at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.