Hurricanes clash with Rebels tonight

By Lethbridge Herald on October 22, 2021.

After a week away from the rink, the Lethbridge Hurricanes return to action tonight for the first of two games in two days.

The Canes are in Red Deer to take on the Red Deer Rebels in Western Hockey League action tonight before returning home to host the Prince Albert Raiders Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Enmax Centre.

The Hurricanes will look to get back in the win column and on the scoresheet following a 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings Friday night in Edmonton.

The loss dropped the Canes to 3-2-0-0 on the season and puts them one point behind the 3-3-0-1 Medicine Hat Tigers for third in the Central Division and three back of the 4-3-1-0 Rebels.

The last time the Hurricanes and Rebels clashed, Lethbridge defenceman Alex Cotton scored both goals including the overtime winner in a 2-1 decision.

Since then, the Rebels defeated the Calgary Hitmen 8-1 Friday in Calgary before dropping the rematch 2-0 Saturday in Red Deer.

Red Deer followed that up with a 2-1 win over the Oil Kings on Sunday, their second win over the Central Division leaders this season.

Heading into tonight’s game, overage forward Justin Hall leads the Hurricanes with one goal and six points in five games.

Forwards Chase Wheatcroft and Alex Thacker each have five points in as many games.

Noah Boyko and Yegor Klavdiev lead the Canes with three goals each.

Veteran goaltender Bryan Thomson has started all five games for the Hurricanes, going 3-2-0-0 with a 1.80 goals against average and .951 save percentage, tied for second in the league with Oil Kings goaltender Sebastian Cossa.

Rebels goaltender Connor Ungar is tops in save percentage at .960.

The Rebels are led by Blake Stevenson and Christoffer Sedoff with seven points each in eight games.

On Wednesday, the Hurricanes announced their 25th Annual Canadian Tire Teddy and Toque Toss will take place Dec. 3 when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings at the Enmax Centre at 7 p.m.

The night is also the 14th anniversary of the record-setting 2007 Toss when 5,202 fans at the Enmax Centre threw 21,905 bears on the ice.

In 2019, in the last Canadian Tire Toque and Teddy Toss, Oliver Okuliar scored the teddy bear goal, sending thousands of bears and toques flying when he scored 9:57 into the first period. The Hurricanes went on to drop a 4-3 shootout decision to the Tigers.

The Teddy Bear Toss is a popular tradition near the Christmas season celebrated by every team in the WHL and many more hockey teams at different levels and originated in 1993 at a Kamloops Blazers game.

This season, bears and toques collected will be donated to local organizations around southern Alberta, including the Chinook Regional Hospital, Lethbridge Family Services, Blood Tribe Emergency Services and many more.

Tickets for the Teddy and Toque Toss are on sale now at the Enmax Centre and Yates Memorial Theatre or online at http://www.enmaxcentre.ca.

Tickets will be available at both Canadian Tire locations in Lethbridge beginning Nov. 8.

With a purchase of a minimum $15 bear or toque, fans will receive a free ticket to the game while quantities last.

Fans are encouraged to bring stuffed animals and toques individually wrapped in clear plastic bags for health and sanitary reasons.

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