Canes hit the road for five games

By Lethbridge Herald on January 9, 2025.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Brayden Edwards gives Landon Hanson of the Edmonton Oil Kings a shove after a goal was scored during recent WHL action at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes embark on a five-game, nine night road trip that will take them through southwest Saskatchewan and into the U.S. Division and  they will look to improve on their 6-10-0-1 road record against the teams they’ll face.

“So it’s a really good opportunity to get on the road and get some success, and build off of our last come-from-behind win in Edmonton and get some more confidence playing road games,” said Ryan Aasmen, Canes assistant coach.

The Canes open up the road trip tonight in Swift Current.

“The rink  feels tighter, so I think managing the neutral zone’s going to be big, said Aasman.

Canes then head east to face Moose Jaw on Saturday.

“The game tends to open up a little bit more,” said Aasman.

“ But they’re a good forechecking team at home, and they’ll want to work without the puck and they’re going to be hard on us if we don’t get pucks behind their (defence) and get our forecheck game going.”

The Canes will play the upper echelon teams in the Western Conference next week in the Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans, as well as the Wenatchee Wild.

“They’re going to be hard games,” said Aasman.

“When you look at Wenatchee and Tri-City, they’re hard working teams that are heavy and they’re going to compete really hard, and then Spokane is well coached and they have the same elements to them but a lot of top-end skill.”

Forward Shane Smith looks at the road trip with taking each game with a one at a time approach.

“We have to start great and finish great kind of thing,” said Smith.

“We (have) got to play a full 60 or 65, whatever it maybe. So I think yeah just  kind of looking at it (as) one period, one shift at a time and being consistent throughout the whole game for sure.”

The Canes will look to starting the games on time.

“It’s been a little rough patch for us recently and I think being away and not being at our home barn, it’s definitely harder to start on time,” said Koope Gizowski.

“if we start on time then we’ll be in there to get those two points.”

Newly acquired defenceman Caden Price will make his Canes debut tonight in Swift Current while the other pre-trade deadline acquisition, Anthony Wilson, is still serving a four-game suspension that he received on Jan. 4.

The Canes will be in Swift Current tonight, Moose Jaw Saturday, Tri-City on Wednesday, Wenatchee next Friday and Spokane next Saturday.