Canes special teams overpowered by Ice

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on October 13, 2022.

Herald FILE photo Lethbridge Hurricanes Tyson Zimmer tries to break to the net through a trio of Winnipeg Ice players during Western Hockey League action at the Enmax Centre in this file photo on Oct. 12,2022. The Canes hope to play a structured game tonight in hopes of splitting the season series with the Ice.

The Winnipeg Ice used two powerplay and two shorthanded goals to get by the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-1 on Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre.

“You know, I thought we had a good first period,” said Brent Kisio, Hurricanes head coach.

“I thought we played pretty hard, we competed (and) we battled. And then our special teams has to be better than it was obviously. We needed some momentum off our and I think we got a little bit away from it in the third period there.”

Kisio thought the Hurricanes played a well at even strength with the Ice.

“I thought we played real strong game five on five,” said Kisio.

“I think they’re a good hockey club and they capitalized on their chances. When they took the lead, we got away from our structure a little bit and (playing) the way we did in the first period and their structure increased and that’s why they’re a good hockey club.”

The Ice drew first blood as Connor McClennon scored his fifth goal of the season on the powerplay at 4:46 of the first period.

The Canes’ Cole Shepard replied for the Hurricanes at 18:02 of the first as he one-timed a Logan Wormald pass top corner to ensure a 1-1 tie heading into the first intermission.

Winnipeg’s Conor Geekie made the game 2-1, as he walked into Lethbridge’s zone on the powerplay and roofed the puck over goalie Harrison Meneghin at 8:29 of the second.

The Ice increased their lead by two goals as Owen Pederson capitalized shorthanded at 9:39 of the second.

Zach Benson made it 4-1 as he got Winnipeg’s second shorthanded marker of the game at 5:05 of the third.

“I thought (on the ) powerplay we should have done a better job,” said Shepard.

“We were prepared and we knew what we had to do and just didn’t execute and it costed us pretty bad today.”

The Canes record now sits at 3-4 on the season.

Lethbridge will hit the road for two games this weekend in Moose Jaw on Saturday at 7 p.m. and a 4 p.m. matinee on Sunday in Regina.

The Hurricanes will return to the Enmax Centre on Oct. 19 when the Saskatoon Blades come to town.