Canes’ strong third period tops Oil Kings

By Lethbridge Herald on December 14, 2022.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Hurricanes Tristan Zandee tries to break to the net past Edmonton Oil Kings Tom Cadieux during WHL action Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre.

Justin Seward – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – sports@lethbridgeherald.com

The Lethbridge Hurricanes extended their winning streak to five games after a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre.

“Especially at home ,when you have a lead going into the third, good teams locked that down and find a way to get the third goal or the go ahead marker, said Hurricanes assistant coach Matt Anholt.

“We did a really good job and it was a dominant third by us.”

After a scoreless first period, Lethbridge’s Cole Shepard broke the scoreless game at 10:07 of the second period, as he skated down the left wing and into the slot and snapped the puck low glove side past Edmonton netminder Kolby Hay.

Nathan Pilling responded for the Oil Kings on the powerplay at 12:02 of the middle frame ,where he did a power move to the net and beat Canes goaltender Harrison Meneghin five hole.

Gavin Hodnett and Vojtech Port drew the assists on Pilling’s marker.

Chase Pauls gave the Canes a 2-1 lead as he redirected in a Shepard pass from the top of the crease for his second goal of the season at 14:31 of the second period.

Dustin Renas also got an assist.

The Canes Logan Wormald made the game 3-1 after he finished off a passing play with a deke to backhand from Miguel Marques at 15:01 of the third period.

Tristan Zandee scored Lethbridge’s fourth goal of the game after he pounced on a bouncing puck off the end boards and shot the puck off the back of Hay at 18:33 of the third period.

“I like how we came out at the start of the third and really were rolling lines and we had a lot of possession down in their end and a lot of shots,” said Anholt.

“A real good five-on-five performance by us in third. We just knew if we just kept rolling lines, and we kept buzzing, and putting pucks behind their defence and we keep getting shots on net, that we’d pop that third one.”

Pauls has a goal and an assist to earn third star honours.

“I thought we had a good start and then we slowed down a bit,” said Pauls.

“But locked it down in the second period (and) got one and locked( it )down in the third again and had a big period. So (I’m) really proud of the guys for that.”

The Hurricanes and Oil Kings each now have a win a piece in their season series

The Canes improved to 19-11-0-1 on the season.

The Kelowna Rockets will be the Hurricanes next opponent on Friday night with puck drop at 7 p.m. at the Enmax Centre.