Oil Kings sweep the Hurricanes

By Dale Woodard on February 28, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

The Lethbridge Hurricanes will head into their second weekend of the Western Hockey League season looking for their first win.

Holding their home-opener — two days short of a year removed from their last home game Feb. 29, 2020 — the Hurricanes were downed 7-2 by the Edmonton Oil Kings Saturday night in front of a fan-less Enmax Centre.

The Oil Kings opened up a 3-0 lead after the first and although Canes assistant captain Justin Hall was able to notch a pair for the homeside, the Lethbridge was handed the loss and an 0-2 weekend following a 7-1 setback to the Oil Kings Friday night in Edmonton.

The Hurricanes now have the coming weekend off and will wait for a schedule of their next opponent.

On Saturday night at the Enmax Centre, the Oil Kings went to work quickly just like they did the night before in Edmonton and it was the same player who did the damage Friday night as Dylan Guenther tapped home a feed from Kaid Oliver past Hurricanes goaltender Bryan Thomson for a 1-0 lead 1:59 into the game. It was Guenther’s third goal of the weekend following a two-goal performance Friday.

Scott Atkinson’s first of the year put Edmonton up 2-0 12:31 into the second and Oliver paced the visitors to a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission with a power play marker with 5:18 left in the opening period.

The Canes had a better start to the second period, but the Oil Kings added two more midway through the frame.

Oliver netted his second of the game at the 9:25 mark. Shortly afterward, Hurricanes defenceman Trevor Thurston got the gate for high sticking and Jalen Luypen turned that into a 5-0 lead for the visitors with 8:36 remaining in the second.

The Canes had a few chances in the second, including Chase Wheatcroft grazing the post and Ty Nash putting a one-timer on Oil Kings goalie Sebastian Cossa at the tail end of a power play.

Lethbridge finally broke through with 1:41 left in the second period when Hall sent a shot past Cossa off the right wing to make it 5-1 after 40 minutes.

Luypen was handed a four-minute double minor for spearing late in the second and the Hurricanes started the third on a man advantage for a little over three minutes.

The Oil Kings killed it off and went up 6-1 minutes later on a goal from Liam Keeler.

Hall added his second of the game, sifting a shot past Cossa a little under a minute after Keeler’s goal.

Guenther rounded out the scoring with 10:25 to go.

The Oil Kings were 2-for-4 on the power play, while Lethbridge was 0-for-6.

Hurricanes forward Jacob Boucher had two assists for the Hurricanes and was plus-two.

Oliver added two assists for a four-point night and Guenther added an assist for a three-point outing and seven-point weekend.

Atkinson chipped in with an assist for two points and Jake Neighbours and Carter Souch each had two helpers.

The Oil Kings outshot the Hurricanes 37-19.

Hurricanes goaltender Bryan Thomson stopped 30 of 37 shots he faced. Making his second start in as many nights, Sebastian Cossa made 17 saves.

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