Hurricanes ready for road battles

By Lethbridge Herald on November 7, 2024.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Logan Wormald and Medicine Hat Tigers Hunter St. Martin have a centre-ice battle for the puck during WHL action at VisitLethbridge.com Arena on Wednesday night.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are embarking on their first extensive road-trip of the season beginning tonight in Moose Jaw tonight.

The Canes play three games in four nights that will see them in Moose Jaw tonight , and then a pair of afternoon games on Sunday in Regina and on Remembrance Day Monday in Brandon.

Rookie Chase Petersen sees the way the team plays will help them see success.

“We can play a hard game and it can really disrupt other teams when we play hard and taking time and space away ,” said Petersen.

Petersen plans to look up to the older guys that have been on these trips before.

“And see what they do differently on the road and just kind of follow their footsteps,” said Petersen.

Petersen is only a 16-year-old and will not only experience an extensive road trip for the first time but will have to focus on his high school work as well.

“Our education advisor said do as much as you can, it’s going to be hard,” said Petersen.

Petersen will be playing in front of friends and family being from Mossbank, Sask., which is south of Moose Jaw.

“(We have) been struggling (on) the road this year but I think if we just play our game (and) prepare hard, we’ll be good,” said forward Landen Ward.

Wards thinks it’ll get easier with the more games being played on the road.

“I think we’ll build off each road game and keep being better (and) better,” said Ward.

Assistant coach Ryan Aasman said it’s about managing rest levels and energy levels.

“And making sure these days before you travel are important with how much you work the guys and how much information you give them,” said Aasman.

“So today (on Thursday) we had a good video session to work out some kinks, we had a quick buzz on the ice that had some tempo and got guys some reps.”

The Canes will have to learn how to win road games after starting the campaign 1-4 away from VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

“We don’t have a great road record,” said Aasman.

“So our whole mentality is how do we set ourselves up for success on this weekend.”

The Canes will be playing the Warriors tonight coming right off the bus.

“I think we’ve got to get back to how we know (we) need to play,” said Aasman.

“So it’s going to be very important to establish our for check early on, and make sure that we’re putting pucks behind them (and) Lethbridge will still have five games  left on the road this month that will take them through the US and back into Saskatchewan after this trip.