Canes bounce Rebels in preseason action

By Lethbridge Herald on September 16, 2022.

Herald photo by JUSTiN SEWARD Lethbridge Hurricanes’ Alex Thacker battles for the puck with Red Deer Rebels defenceman Vojtech Port during preseason action at the Enmax Centre on Friday night.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the Red Deer Rebels 3-1 in their final home tune-up of the preseason on Friday night at the Enmax Centre.

The contest very much had a regular season feel to it with the extra curriculars and a fight.

“Yeah, it sure did,” said Canes assistant coach Matt Anholt.

“It seems like a typical Lethbridge-Red Deer — some heaviness and some hatred. There was a lot of regulars in the line-up for both teams, so not surprised.”

Anholt said, 

“It gets us even closer to what the regular season is going to feel like when game one comes against Medicine Hat.”

The Canes Logan Wormald scored his third of the preseason at the 9;41 mark of the first period to open the scoring and that was only goal of the opening frame. Miguel Marques and Brayden Edwards drew on the assists on the marker.

It was the Rebels who struck early in the second period as Blake Gustafson potted a rebound past Canes goalie Jared Picklyk.

Lethbridge restored the lead at 5:32 of the middle frames as Marques came off the sidewall and wired a wrist shot past Red Deer goalkeeper Rhett Stoesser.

Jett Jones increased the Hurricanes lead to 3-1 as he was sprung on a breakaway and backhanded the shot top corner over Stoesser’s shoulder at 7:57.

Edwards feels the chemistry with  linemates Wormald and Marques is coming together through the preseason.

“I think we’re doing really well,” said Edwards.

“We ended off the year last year with a lot of chemistry and I think we’re just building on that. We’re getting close as friends and stuff like that really helps us on the ice.”

Both teams will conclude the preseason in Red Deer tonight.