Thomson stops 29 shots in Hurricanes shutout win

By Lethbridge Herald on February 10, 2023.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWARD Lethbridge Hurricanes Miguel Marques tries to go wide around Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Reid Andresen during Friday night WHL action at the Enmax Centre.

Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

A shorthanded and powerplay goal combined with a Bryan Thomson 29-save shutout were the difference in a Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-0 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers at the Enmax Centre on Friday night.

“A real solid game,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio.

“I think both teams came out and competed. Give them credit, they played a heckuva hockey game too. (They) hit a lot of posts.  But I think the difference was Tommy played real good in net and I thought our guys worked well around him.”

Kisio thinks Thomson had been playing better and better.

“Hey, he took a lot of time off,” said Kisio.

“I think coming back from what he did and the surgery he had, it was going to take some time. I think we’re seeing the goalie that we always knew we had and he was outstanding tonight.”

“They shutdown Med Hat’s offence for the most part,” said Thomson, on what the team did well in front of him.

“ (And) blocking shots, and making good stick plays and just overall being a huge shutdown team in front tonight. It was awesome.”

After a scoreless first period, it was the Hurricanes who got on the board first courtesy of Cole Shepard’s 18th of the season just 3:28 into the second period.

Shepard finished off a shorthanded 2-on-1 with Jett Jones to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

Nolan Bentham drew the other assist.

Trae Wilke scored his first of the season after following up on a Brayden Edwards breakaway chance and shoveled the puck over Tigers goalie Evan May at 9:53 of the middle frame.

Dustin Renas also assisted on the goal.

Tyson Laventure made it 3-0 Hurricanes at 10:07 of the third period, as he notched his 18th of the season on the powerplay from Shepard and Joe Arntsen.

The Tigers outshot the Canes 29-24 on the night.

The current Hurricanes sat in on the pre-game ceremony that honoured the 1983 Lethbridge Broncos WHL championship team, which was the first for the city.

“It was real special,” said Kisio.

“It was a special night. You know that team won a championship for this city and anytime you do something for this city, it’s important.  And I think seeing that video before re-emphasized the importance that team set and the culture they set and that we’re all trying to follow.”

Thomson thought the pre-game ceremony pumped up the team.

“Too bad playoffs weren’t tomorrow,” said Thomson.

“But no I think it helped us for the game. We were all pretty electric after that. It was a special night for sure.”

Lethbridge scored once on four powerplays while Medicine Hat had no goals on four chances.

Both teams will do battle for the last time in the regular season in Medicine Hat tonight at 7 p.m.

The win snapped a brief-two game losing streak for the Hurricanes.