Special teams propel Canes in win over Warriors

By Lethbridge Herald on October 4, 2024.

Herald File photo by Justin Seward Herald FILE photo by JUSTIN SEWARD Lethbridge Hurricanes Logan Wormald gets hauled down on a breakaway by Connor Schmidt of the Moose Jaw Warriors during WHL action earlier this season. Wormald thinks the top line’s success has come from playing as a trio for a few seasons now.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Special teams were the difference for the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a 4-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday night at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

The Canes were able to have an effective special teams after scoring two powerplay goals and shorthanded marker.

“I think it’s huge,” said canes forward Brayden Edwards on the special teams effort.

“(It)just builds a lot of energy, especially a shorthanded goal by Worm there. It’s a huge goal for our team, it gave us a big energy boost and we just built off that.”

It was the Warriors that got on the board first when Noah Degenstein redirected the puck past Canes goalie Brady Smith just 4:13 into the game from Landen McFadden and Brayden Schuurman.

Moose Jaw made it 2-0 when Brayden Yager one timed the puck past Smith for his first of the season at the 6:41 mark of the first period from Lynden Lakovic and Rilen Kovacevic.

Lethbridge found the back of the net 13:45 into the opening frame when Edwards scored on the powerplay from Logan Wormald and Miguel Marques.

Edwards tied the game with 1:20 to go in the first period when he redirected in a Tristen Doyle shot from the point.

Wormald pushed the Canes ahead 3-2 when he went in and snapped it over the shoulder of Jackson Unger just 59 seconds into the third period.

Logan McCutcheon and Will Sharpe notched the assists on the shorthanded marker.

Leo Braillard swiped his fourth goal of the year in on the powerplay 11:05 into the third period from Wormald and Marques.

The Warriors made it 4-3 when Yager scored his second of the season on the powerplay 16:16 into the third from Schuurman.

“I thought it was really good throughout our whole line-up,” said Edwards, on the response after being down two goals early on.

“(The) boys didn’t stop pushing ever since we were down two.”

Lethbridge went 2-for-6 on the powerplay while Moose Jaw went 1-or-5.

Lethbridge outshot the Warriors 41-22. 

The Hurricanes improved to 4-1 on the season and will be off until next Friday when they host the Vancouver Giants.