Canes happy with first half of season

By Lethbridge Herald on December 17, 2024.

Herald File photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Noah Chadwick attempts to knock Lukas Hansen of the Saskatoon Blades off the puck during WHL action at VisitLethbridge.com Arena last week. Chadwick has seen improvements in the team’s structure in the first half.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes finished off the unofficial first half of the season over the weekend and the team is pleased about their results so far this season.

“I think for the most part, there’s been a lot of ups,” said Ryan Aasman, Canes assistant coach.

“We really liked the start of our season, made the most out of a friendly schedule to start with, and then our month of November was really hard obviously with the losing streak … and we learned some good lessons for the last little bit.”

Aasman thought team details have improved in the first half.

“We’ve really liked our players approaches to how they come to the rink everyday whether it’s practice or a game,” said Aasman.

“We feel like our room has been very professional every single day and even through the lows, we found ways to come together as a team and get ahead of it as a group.”

Aasman said there’s a lot of growth in this room still.

“The idea is to get the guys to peak at the right time and go into playoffs playing the right way and it just takes time,” said Aasman.

Aasman said good, when it comes to the younger player’s development.

“I think it’s been good that they’ve been around really good older people,” said Aasman.

“When they’re in the gym, they’re focused. They spend the extra time on the ice, they’re constantly looking for video help, they’re very engaged and they’re an exciting group that all kind of offer different things.”

Captain Noah Chadwick is happy with his teammates and the morale feeling in the dressing room.

“I think our structure (has) just continually got better as we go and I think it gets kind of wired in your brain a little better,” said Chadwick.

“I think that just comes with more reps in practice and that’s what we’ve been doing and we’re confident in all of our structure.”

The Canes were in first place in their division early on the season and also found themselves on a  six-game losing skid during the first half.

“I think it just kind of goes to show that it’s important to never be complacent, and to know that we can always improve as a team and I think that just keeps us learning and growing every day,” said Chadwick.

The Hurricanes finished the unofficial first half of the season with a 17-11-1-1 record, good for second in the central division while still four games away from the halfway point of the 2024-25 season. They trail the first-place Medicine Hat Tigers (19-14-1) by three points, with four games in hand.

The Canes off until Dec. 27 when they host the Calgary Hitmen in the first of three games in four nights. The Hurricanes will head to Medicine Hat on Dec. 28 before visiting Red Deer’s Peavy Mart Centrium to battle with the Rebels.

-With files from James Tubb, Medicine Hat News