Hurricanes schedule getting busy now

By Dale Woodard on March 12, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

It’s March, so why not have a playoff style schedule?

Normally, that’s what would be happening in any normal Western Hockey League season.

“Normal”, however, flew out the window almost exactly a year ago thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that put major junior across the nation on ice.

Instead, the middle of March will instead represent the Lethbridge Hurricanes second weekend of a shortened 24-game WHL regular season that had three attempted starts in October, December and January that were stalled due to COVID before finally getting going earlier this month.

But in keeping in the spirit of a little spring hockey and the playoff atmosphere, the Hurricanes will simulate that this weekend as they kick off a three-game series against the Red Deer Rebels starting tonight in Red Deer. Game 2 comes back to the Enmax Centre Saturday at 6 p.m. Before the teams trek back north Sunday to wrap up the mini-series as Lethbrige looks to rebound after two convincing 7-1 and 7-2 losses to the Edmonton Oil Kings March 5-6 that has the team off to an 0-2 start.

“It’s going to be a hard weekend,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio. “Red Deer plays hard and when you’re playing a team three times in a row it’s more of a playoff atmosphere as well. So that first game is going to be a real battle in trying to establish your physical element, for sure. Red Deer always plays that way. It’s a Brent Sutter-coached team where they play hard and really structured. So it’s a good challenge for us. We have to better and we have three games to improve.”

Of coursel, three games in three days can be gruelling even when a team is in the best of shape, said Kisio.

“Luckily, we’re deep and we have a lot of guys we can put in the lineup. It’s going to be a hard week no matter how good of shape you’re in. We’ve gotten better. I’m sure we have a long way to go, but this weekend will be a really good test that way.”

After getting outscored 14-2 by the Oil Kings two weeks ago, the Canes had the past two weeks to iron out the early-season kinks in practice.

“For us, I think it was a great week, measuring-wise, for us to see where we are as a team and see what our systems are looking like (as well as) our lines and our defenceman pairings,” said Hurricanes captain Dino Kambeitz. “It was good for us to get right after us and to play a good team like Edmonton, I thought that was great for us. But practices have been good. I think the tempo has been really good and guys are figuring out what it’s going to be like to play the rest of these games and how hard we have to go and compete. I don’t think we could have asked for a better opponent in Edmonton and it will set us up well for the rest of the year.”

It’ll set them up for the rest of a busy month as well with three in a row against the Calgary Hitmen next weekend and the Medicine Hat Tigers to round out March.

“For us, it’s just making sure we’re taking care of our bodies after games and after practices and making sure we’re getting prepared and getting cool-downs in and keeping ourselves ready that way,” said Kambeitz. “For the games, I think it’s exciting playing three like that. Guys will be ready to go and when you’re feeling good and hot it’ll be nice to carry a lot of momentum. So for us, we have to get off to a good start against Red Deer and just keep it rolling. With the density we’ve got it’ll be important to keep our confidence high and make sure guys are excited to get going.”

The Canes will look for their first wins of the season against the Rebels, who are off to a 1-2-1 start to the season.

“We know Red Deer with the identity they like,” said Kambeitz. “We know they’re going to come hard, play physical and be an intense team. So for us in that way, we’re ready. They didn’t lose a lot of guys and they’re basically the same team. I think we’re prepared really well and our practices have been awesome. We’re looking to start off with a good first three games against them and carry it over for as long as possible.”

The weekend will double as an introduction to newest Hurricane Liam Kindree, an overage forward Lethbridge picked up on waivers last week from the Kelowna Rockets.

Kindree will jump right in, having not played a game in over a year and with only one practice with the Hurricanes — which took place Thursday after doing the required quarantine after being picked up — under his belt.

“I’m going to take it day-by-day and hope for the best,” said Kindree. “But I think the biggest thing I can do this weekend to contribute is to be a vocal guy and be positive in the room and if we’re down or up, to keep that mellow head and not get too high or too low. On the ice, if I’m able to contribute I absolutely will, but I think most importantly this weekend for myself is to just get in the groove of being on a team again and being around the guys and going to war, wanting to battle and sacrifice your body. Anything to show the team that I’m new here, but I’ve bought in and I want to be a part of this group and be a successful team. Even though this season is shorter nobody likes losing and I know the Lethbridge Hurricanes have had a winning culture since I’ve been in the league. I want to keep that running.”

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