Hurricanes and Tigers get ready to clash again

By Dale Woodard on April 29, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

It’s time for the Highway 3 rivalry between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Take two.

With the COVID-19 shortened Western Hockey League season winding down, the Canes and Tigers will clash one more time in a three-game set starting tonight at the Enmax Centre at 7 p.m. before heading to Medicine Hat Saturday and wrapping up Sunday back in Lethbridge at 7 p.m.

The teams were supposed to lock horns April 9-12, but the schedule changed at the last second when someone in the Calgary Hitmen’s cohort tested positive for COVID, suspending their operations.

Having played the Hitmen the weekend before, that also suspended the Tigers play as the Hurricanes instead headed to Red Deer to face the Rebels in a three-game sweep.

The Hurricanes and Tigers originally-scheduled tilts earlier this month were supposed to be round two after the Tigers downed the Hurricanes 3-0 and 6-3 March 26 and 27, respectively, before Lethbridge came away with a 5-4 overtime win March 28.

No matter what the scenario, Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio noted it’s still the Hurricanes versus the Tigers.

‘Nuff said.

“Any time you play Medicine Hat there’s always that rivalry there whether there are fans or no fans,” said Kisio. “No matter what’s going on, the rivalry exists and it’ll be an exciting weekend. It was kind of a weird stretch when we weren’t sure who we were playing. We thought we were playing Medicine Hat and we switched to Red Deer. I don’t know if that factors in. There are only so many games left and it’s opportunities for guys to showcase themselves. It’s our last few games together as this group and as this team, so we want to end well.”

Hurricanes captain and overage forward Dino Kambeitz is looking forward to another crack at the Tigers after ending the last meeting on a winning note.

“That week we were supposed to get them the guys were ready and excited to get back after it, especially finishing off two good games against them where I thought we deserved a better result,” he said. “I think Medicine Hat is definitely a team we get up for and we like playing them. I think we match up really well with them. Guys are excited to finish off against them and have Edmonton (May 4 in Edmonton) one more time.”

With the CHL announcing the cancellation of the Memorial Cup two weeks ago and the WHL announcing the same fate for their post season, Kisio noted last weekend’s at-times feisty tilt against the Hitmen.

“It’s just their competitive nature,” he said.

“If you like to compete — and I like to think our club does and Calgary sure did last weekend, I thought they played a really good, strong weekend — it’s going to happen naturally. Our guys want to win and the other team wants to win and when you get that you get guys really competing and playing hard. Especially with these limited games, it’s going to happen. It’s starting to heat up and it’s kind of that playoff time of year, so this is our playoffs right now.”

Though they’ll look to keep the intensity up, the season is nonetheless winding down with a stop in Edmonton on Tuesday to wrap things up.

“We’ll see how we come out and play,” said Kisio. “It’s just another challenge. We’re packing up and the guys are getting their rooms ready and at the same time we have some games left. It’s a different season where we don’t get to determine when we finish, it’s been determined for us. We can just go play hard and compete. It’s our last four games with this team together with this group, so we want to end right.”

That especially rings true for Kambeitz as well as fellow overagers Mitch Prowse and Liam Kindree.

“Just having the four games left, for me it’s just making sure I’m emptying the tank with every game,” said Kambeitz, who has five goals and 15 points in 17 games this season.

“I know if I play my game and play hard good things will happen down the road. I think it’s making sure I don’t have any regrets after these four games.”

No matter what happens over the next four games, the season ends Tuesday.

But Kambeitz said he and his teammates aren’t going to sleepwalk through them.

“I think it’s a character check for the last four. If you want to win hockey games you have to get up and I think the guys in the room want to win and we’ll be ready for these games. I just have to make sure these games are fun and finish it out hard.”

As he gets set to wind down his WHL career, Kambeitz will have played in 211 career games if he plays in each of the next four games.

“I just want to go about my day as I usually do, but there are definitely moments where I catch myself and it’s kind of crazy that it’s all coming down to four games and I only have a week-and-a-bit here left,” said Kambeitz.

, who arrived in Lethbridge prior to the 2019-202 season from the Victoria Royals and heading into the weekend has 41 goals and 87 points in 207 games. “I’m definitely enjoying the moments a bit more, but I don’t want to get too caught up in it. Just play hockey.”

NOTES: The Brandon Wheat Kings — featuring local product Ridly Greig and Rylen Roersma — captured the WHL East Division crown and also became the first-time recipients of the Subway Cup in the process.

The Wheaties finished 18-4-2-0 to grab first in the East Division, one point up on the Winnipeg Ice (18-5-1-0) and two ahead of the Saskatoon Blades (16-5-2-1).

The Subway Cup featuring all the East Division teams took place in the bubble at the Brandt Centre in Regina with all seven teams adhering to strict COVID testing and protocols.

A total of 1,930 tests revealed zero positive COVID results from March 5 to last Saturday.

Greig, a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in last October’s draft, was second in team scoring with 10 goals and 32 points in 21 games.

Roersma, who was selected in the first round and 16th overall by Brandon in the 2019 WHL bantam draft, has one goal and two points in 17 games in his rookie season.

Follow @@DWoodardHerald on Twitter