Hurricanes edge Tigers in home opener

By Lethbridge Herald on September 30, 2022.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Jett Jones shovels the puck past Medicine Hat Tigers goalie Beckett Langkow for the home sideÕs first goal of the game during Western Hockey League action at the Enmax Centre on Friday night.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-4 in front over 4,100 fans at the Enmax Centre on Friday night of their home opener.

“We battled hard,” said Brent Kisio, Hurricanes head coach.

“We did a lot of things good. It was obviously a much better performance— not perfect— and a lot of things we get better (on) from this game. But we came out with the win and that’s the main thing.”

Kisio thought the offense was spread out and timely goals were scored on the night.

“I thought “Picks” (goalie Jared Picklyk) played a great game,” said Kisio.

“He made some big saves at some key times and all throughout the game he competed and he battled. He probably was our best player.”

Defenceman Nolan Bentham had a goal on the night.

“It was a big goal for our team and “Cutchy” (Logan McCutcheon) made a  great pass there, so yeah happy about it.”

Bentham thought the Canes had a really good week of practice leading up to the home opener.

“Yeah, definitely came more prepared for this game,” he said.

“It was a big game for us and good to get our first win.”

It was the Tabbies that got on the scoreboard first as the Canes Cole Shepard was sent off for hooking early in the first period and Medicine Hat’s Brendan Lee wired one home from the right circle on the man advantage.

The Tigers lead would not last for long as the Hurricanes’s Jett Jones potted a Tyson Laventure rebound past Beckett Langkow at 8:24 of the first period.

Lethbridge’s Noah Chadwick wired one past Langkow on the powerplay at 18:58 to pull ahead 2-1. New-comer Tyson Zimmer and Joe Arntsen notched the assists on the goal.

The Tigers would tie the game up with just 11 seconds left in the opening frame as Andrew Basha knocked the puck out of the air past  Picklyk.

Bentham redirected the puck  past Langkow at 13:44 of the second to give Lethbridge the lead at 3-2 heading into the third period.

Cole Shepard got his first as a Hurricane on the powerplay just 40 seconds into the third period to double Lethbridge’s lead to 4-2. Assists going to Alex Thacker and Logan McCutcheon.

Jones one-timed in his second goal of the night at 5:09 of the third after taking a pass from Laventure, who had two Tigers on him,  to make the score 5-2.

Medicine Hat cut the lead to 5-3 at 7:58 of the third as Oasiz Wiesblatt notched a powerplay goal.

Tyler MacKenzie scored for the Tigers with 29 seconds to go in the game to bring Medicine Hat within one but that’s as close as they would come.

Shots were 34-27 in favour of Medicine Hat.

Lethbridge will now embark on a three-game road trip next week beginning on Tuesday in Saskatoon before heading to Prince Albert on Wednesday and wrapping up in Red Deer on Friday.

The Canes next home game is Oct. 8 when the Raiders come to town.