U18 Hurricanes drop Game 1 to Okotoks

By Lethbridge Herald on February 24, 2022.

The Lethbridge U18 Hurricanes have lost the opening game of the post season and will now battle for their playoffs lives Saturday night.

The Hurricanes were downed 2-1 on a late goal by the Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers in Game 1 of the teams’ opening round Alberta Elite Hockey League series Wednesday night at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

The loss puts the Canes down 1-0 in the best-of-three series as Lethbridge now seeks to extend the series to a deciding Game 3 when Game 2 takes place Saturday in Okotoks at 12:45 p.m.

If necessary, Game 3 will be back at Nicholas Sheran Arena Sunday at noon.

On Wednesday, the Hurricanes held a 1-0 lead after the first period before the Oilers tied it up in the second.

With time winding down and overtime looming, the Oilers struck for the game-winner with 28 seconds to go on Philip Raycroft’s second of the game to grab a 1-0 series lead.

Peyton Twigg scored 7:37 into the first period for the Hurricanes before Raycroft tied it up with 2:02 left in the second with his first of the game.

Hurricanes goaltender Erick Roest stopped 25 of 27 shots, while Oilers netminder Kashton Payne kicked out 23 of 24 shots.