Wormald strikes in OT for Canes

By Dale Woodard on January 13, 2022.

Logan Wormald had been hitting iron all night.

Fortunately for the rookie forward of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the third attempt was the charm as the Canes topped the Swift Current Bro ncos 3-2 in overtime in Western Hockey League action Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre.

With the Hurricanes enjoying a four-on-three power play, the final seconds ticking down and a shootout looking like a reality, Wormald rattled his second shot of the night off the iron, but he made no mistake on his next chance seconds later, burying his seventh goal of the season with three seconds left for the win.

Wormald, who opened the scoring late in the first period, also struck iron in the third on a breakaway chance.

With the win, the Hurricanes pull to an even 13-13-2-0 and pick up two crucial points in the Eastern Conference standings that ties them with the 13-17-1-1 Prince Albert Raiders and the 14-17-0-0 Regina Pats. They are also three points behind the 13-15-4-1 Broncos, who hold eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.

It was also the Canes first game back after being paused on New Year’s Day due to the WHL COVID-19 protocol and the first games in Hurricanes silks for Hayden Smith, Tyson Laventure and Ross Stanley, who were acquired in trades prior to New Year’s and Liekit Reichle, who was claimed off waivers from the Prince George Cougars.

The teams battled through a mostly scoreless first period with the Hurricanes only getting their first shot on net with 8:08 remaining in the period.

But Wormald sent the hosts into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead, taking a one-time feed from Alex Thacker and sending a shot past Broncos goaltender Isaac Poulter with 17 seconds left in the first.

Continuing the trend of late-period goals, the Broncos followed suit in the second period when Josh Davies took a feed from Sam McGinley and tucked a breakaway shot past Hurricanes goaltender Bryan Thomson with 1:26 left in the second to knot it at 1-1 after 40 minutes.

The Hurricanes nearly went up 2-1 early in the third after a goalmouth scramble didn’t find the back of the net.

Minutes later, Wormald nearly put the hosts up 2-1 on his breakaway chance that hit the post behind Poulter and stayed out.

The Canes didn’t miss on their next chance as Poulter misplayed the puck behind the net and Yegor Klavdiev cashed in on the chance, batting the loose puck home for his sixth of the season and a 2-1 lead 9:03 into the third.

But with Poulter on the bench for the extra attacker, the Broncos secured at least one point and sent the game to overtime as Davies netted his second of the game and ninth of the season to even it up 2-2.

The Hurricanes went to the power play late in the OT session when Laventure broke in on Poulter. The Broncos goaltender made a glove save to deny the chance, but Swift Current w tagged for a slashing call on Josh Filmon, setting the table for Wormald’s last-second game-winner.

Klavdiev also had an assist for a two-point night.

Thomson stopped 18-of-20 shots for this 10th win of the season that puts him at 10-12-2-0.

Poulter kicked out 32-of-35 shots for the Broncos.

The Hurricanes were 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Broncos were 0-for-2.

Wednesday’s announced attendance was 2,132.

The Hurricanes are back at the Enmax Centre Friday night when the Raiders come to town.

Game time is 7 p.m.

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