Hall scores twice, Canes win

By Dale Woodard on November 27, 2021.

Justin Hall continues to find the back of the net.

And the Lethbridge Hurricanes benefitted from that following a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings in Western Hockey League action Friday night at the Enmax Centre.

Hall opened the scoring and added another in the second for the eventual game-winner as the Hurricanes hung on to down the Central Division-leading Oil Kings.

At the other end, Canes goaltender Bryan Thomson faced 38 shots and kept 36 out for the win that improves the Hurricanes to 8-10-1-0, while the Oil Kings are now 15-4-2-1.

Hall’s two-goal outing gives him nine on the season and five goals and eight points in his last three games, skating on a line with Alex Thacker and Logan Wormald.

Hall almost had the hat trick in the final minute, but was unable to get a shot off on an open Oil Kings goal with goaltender Kolby Hay pulled for the extra attacker.

The overage forward, however, got it started for the Hurricanes, trailing Wormald and scoring from the top of the circle 7:46 into the game for a quick 1-0 lead.

Thacker increased that lead to 2-0 at the 18:22 mark of the first on a deflection off a point shot from Nolan Bentham.

But the Oil Kings pulled within one in the final seconds of the first when Hall was called for boarding and Dylan Guenther made no mistake on a one-time feed from Jakub Demek with four seconds left to make it 2-1 after the first period.

The Hurricanes restored their two-goal lead 7:27 into the second and Hall added his second of the game to put Lethbridge up 3-1.

The Oil Kings set the stage for an entertaining finish when Josh Williams scored midway through the third, but despite some late pressure the visitors were unable to net the equalizer despite outshooting the Hurricanes 38-27.

Thacker added an assist for a two-point night.

Hay turned aside 24 of 27 shots.

The Hurricanes went 0-for-5 on the power play, while the Oil Kings were 1-for-7 on the man advantage.

Friday night’s announced attendance was 2,904.

The Hurricanes wrap up their four-game homestand next Friday when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings.

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