Hurricanes visit Oil Kings – Preview

The Hurricanes and Edmonton have met three times, with the Canes winning 5-3 at the start of the season. In that game, Lethbridge scored 3 goals in 42 seconds in the third on the way to the win. The OK’s have won their most recent games (November 29^th and December 1^st). On the 29^th, the teams were scoreless heading into the 3^rd period before Riley Sheen scored for the Hurricanes. Edmonton answered with a pair of goals 3 minutes apart and skated away with a 2-1 win. Two days later, the Hurricanes spotted the OK’s a 2-goal lead before Brady Ramsay and Reid Duke scored but 3-2 is as close as the Hurricanes would get. Edmonton sits atop the East Conference standings and are on a 7 game win streak (9-1 in their last 10) while the Hurricanes lost their last game and are 2-8 in their last 10 games. Tyler Wong (25 pts), Brady Ramsay (22 pts) and Russ Maxwell (20 pts) continue to lead the Hurricanes offensively while the OK’s are led by Curtis Lazar (37 pts) and Henrik Samuelsson (35 pts).

Stats Leaders:

Points (25), Goals (13) – Tyler Wong

Powerplay Goals (5) – Tyler Wong

Assists (14), PIM’s (84) – Brady Ramsay

Plus/Minus (-2) – Taylor Cooper

Hurricanes Points Leaders:

Tyler Wong: 25 points (13G, 12A)

Brady Ramsay: 22 points (8G, 14A)

Russ Maxwell: 20 points (8G, 12A)

Riley Sheen: 18 points (7G, 11A)

Oil Kings  Points Leaders:

Curtis Lazar: 37 points (21G, 16A)

Henrik Samuelsson: 35 points (11G, 24A)

Mitchell Moroz: 30 points (19G, 11A)

Cody Corbett: 24 points (9G, 15A)

 

On a Streak:

4 Game Point Streak: Reid Duke (2G, 3A)

3 Game Point Streak: Taylor Cooper (1G, 2A)

2 Game Point Streak: Josh Derko (3G), Macoy Erkamps (3A), Jamal Watson (1G, 2A)

Milestone Minute:

1^st Career WHL Goals: Reid Nemeth (Dec. 10^th), Carter Folk (Dec. 4^th) Bryton Sayers (Sept. 27^th)

50^th Career WHL Goal: Russ Maxwell (Nov. 8^th)

200 Career WHL Games: Nick Walters (Dec 1^st), Brady Ramsay (Nov. 2^nd)

150 Career WHL Games: Macoy Erkamps (Nov. 6^th), Jamal Watson (Oct. 4^th)

100 Career WHL Games: Lenny Hackman (Nov. 29^th)

100^th Career WHL Point: Brady Ramsay (Nov. 3^rd)

1^st Career Hat Trick: Tyler Wong (Oct. 19^th)

 

A NEW LOOK DRESSING ROOM:Second year D-man Joel Topping announced in early December that he was done playing hockey. He is enrolled at Red Deer College to pursue a career in Teaching. This is just one of many changes in the first two months of the season as the team made a number of deals:  Chris Tai was sent to Brandon for an 8^th round pick in 2015. The Canes needed to get down to 2 goaltenders after they acquired Teagan Sacher from Regina. Tai has since been traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers. Axel Blomqvist was traded to the Victoria Royals for a 4^th and an 8^th round Bantam pick this year, while Ryan Pilon found a new home in Brandon after being traded to the Wheat Kings for  (D) Nick Walters, (LW) Taylor Cooper and Prospect (D) Tanner Browne. The rights to Colt Conrad were also traded to Brandon and if he signs with the Club the Canes receive a 5^th round pick in 2016. Defenceman Tyler Bell also joined the team after a trade with Moose Jaw. The Hurricanes also made a pair of deals with Seattle, trading Forwards Jaimen Yakubowski & Sam McKechnie to the T-Birds for Forwards Carter Folk, Riley Sheen and a third round pick in 2015. The addition of these two reunited them with teammate Griffin Foulk who the Canes acquired via the Adam Henry trade.

DRAFTED: The lone Hurricanes player drafted into the NHL is Defenceman Nick Walters, who was taken in the 4^th round (116^th overall) by the St. Louis Blues in 2012. GETTING A TASTE OF THE PROS: Two players attended NHL Camps this off-season Macoy Erkamps (Ottawa Senators Development Camp), and Josh Derko (San Jose Rookie Camp).

U17s Come Calling: Team Pacific named their roster for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Rookie Giorgio Estephan will compete in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia from December 29^th to January 4^th. Last year, Kolten Olynek and Reid Duke competed at the same tournament. CENTRAL SCOUTING: On the Central Scouting November Watch List Reid Duke was listed as a C North American skater to watch. That means he is projected to be a 4^th to 6^th round draft pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. IN THE SYSTEM:  Three of the Hurricanes 2013 Bantam Draft picks, Stuart Skinner, Jaeger White (Team AB) & Tak Anholt (Team BC), competed at the U16 Challenge Cup in Calgary. Team AB and Team BC faced off for Gold with Alberta winning the game 4-2.

IIHF CHANGES TUNE:Import draft pick Kristian Khenkel will be returning the Canes after all. Khenkel will be eligible to return on December 22^nd after his team plays in the World Juniors. IN THE CAGE:20-year old Corbin Boes is 2-20-2-2 with a 4.21 GAA and .898 Save Percentage. He also leads all WHL goalies with 885 saves. 19-year old Teagan Sacher is the back-up and is 2-2 so far with the Hurricanes, picking up his first win on December 6^th (a 3-1 win over Prince Albert).

NEXT:

Sunday, December 15^th – vs. Victoria, 2:00pm (pregame at 1:30pm on 94.1 CJOC)

*Tuesday, December 17^th – at Kootenay, 7:00pm (pregame at 6:30pm on 94.1 CJOC)

*last game before the Christmas break. Hurricanes return to action December 27^th*

 

Home or on the road stay tuned to the home of your Lethbridge Hurricanes on 94.1 CJOC. Follow us on Twitter at @WHLHurricanes @CanesCast, checking out our website at www.lethbridgehurricanes.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/WHLHurricanes. For tickets, call (403) 329-7328 or www.enmaxcentre.ca