Canes hit learning curve on trip, Berge excited for fresh start

By Lethbridge Herald on October 28, 2025.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWARD New Lethbridge Hurricane Owen Berge passes the puck during practice on Tuesday.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Hurricanes completed their first extensive road trip over the weekend  where  they  went winless and while there were lessons to be learned, the team showed positives through tough games.

The Canes opened the trip with a 6-3 defeat to the Regina Pats last Wednesday, followed by a 4-2 defeat to Moose Jaw on Friday and concluded the three game in four-nights swing with a 7-0 setback at the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday.

“(Coming) away with zero out of six (points) is challenging,” said Matt Anholt, Hurricanes head coach after Tuesday’s practice.

“I think we did lots of good things on the road trip. Specifically, we were tied after 40 in Moose Jaw and didn’t have a very good third period. And then (in) Brandon, we were outshooting them going into the third and we were down 3-0, so it was a challenging two games for a young group because especially as a younger group we want to see some success.”

Anholt did not see the team break through on aspects of their game on the road trip and more so it has been about chipping way at things.

“Breaking through might be a little bit forceful,” said Anholt.

“But I’d say just chipping away (and) just trying to take that hatchet and hack away at the tree.”

The Canes sit last in the Eastern Conference with a 3-11-0-1 record and Anholt talked about the team’s approach to a positive mindset.

“Losing’s never fun,” said Anholt.

“These kids can sometimes be like goldfish where I think their memories are pretty short. So I don’t know if they even remember what the score was in Regina and Moose Jaw.”

The Canes face a stiff test tonight when they host a 9-4-1-1 Edmonton Oil Kings team that is third in the Eastern Conference and second in the Central Division.

“They have a really strong group where especially their top three lines can all score,” said Anholt.

“Our depth is going to be key (and is) where we can try to saw off those guys as much as we can.”

Berge

The Canes began this week by acquiring 19-year-old forward Owen Berge from the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for a 2028 eighth round draft pick in WHL Prospects Draft on Monday.

Berge brings 139 games of WHL experience to Lethbridge along with 33 points in parts of four seasons with the Warriors.

“Exactly, a fresh start and pretty excited for it,” said Berge, after Tuesday’s practice.

Berge brings the championship pedigree from the Warriors 2024 WHL championship run.

“Just showing up to practice everyday trying to work hard, and try to show my habits and hopefully I rub off on some of the young guys,” said Berge.

Berge described himself a two-way forward that is  a shooter.

Berge had a career-high in points with 23 last season with the Warriors.

With the trade, Lethbridge released Jack Toogood, who they acquired from the Edmonton Oil Kings earlier in the month.