PLAYOFF GAME DAY: Hurricanes Look to Force Game 7

Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes welcome the Swift Current Broncos at 7:00pm tonight at the ENMAX Centre in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Championship Series as they will look to force a Game 7.

The Hurricanes trail the best-of-seven series 3-2 after suffering a 4-3 loss in Swift Current on Saturday. Zane Franklin, Brad Morrison and Egor Zudilov scored in the losing cause while Logan Flodell made 28 saves. The ‘Canes were outshot for the first time in the series.

The Broncos ended a two game losing streak to take the 3-2 series lead. Artyom Minulin and Glenn Gawdin both returned from injury in the game. Giorgio Estephan scored twice while Max Patterson and Colby Sissons each had one in the victory. Stuart Skinner made 27 saves.

The home team has won all five games thus far in the series. The ‘Canes will attempt to force a winner-take-all Game 7 Tuesday night in Swift Current.

Tickets for tonight’s Game 6 are available for purchase online, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) or by visiting the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre.

PLAYOFF SERIES: Tonight will be Game 5 of the best-of-seven second round series between the Hurricanes and the Broncos. Swift Current leads the series 3-2. The home team has won all four games thus far. It will be the first time in history that the two teams will face in the WHL Playoffs.

PLAYOFF SERIES: (* if necessary)                                                 HURRICANE TOP 7 PLAYOFF SCORERS
Game 1 – April 20^th, 7:00pm – at Swift Current (3-2 SC)            Brad Morrison – 16G. 21A, 37 points
Game 2 – April 21^st, 7:00pm – at Swift Current (4-3 OT SC)      Jordy Bellerive – 9G, 16A – 25 points
Game 3 – April 24^th, 7:00pm – at Lethbridge (5-1 LET)                               Taylor Ross – 9G, 13A – 22 points
Game 4 – April 25^th, 7:00pm – at Lethbridge (5-1 LET)                               Calen Addison – 6G, 12A – 18 points
Game 5 – April 28^th, 7:00pm – at Swift Current (4-3 SC)            Tate Olson – 3G, 15A – 18 points
Game 6 – April 30^th, 7:00pm – at Lethbridge                                 Jake Elmer – 4G, 9A – 13 points
*Game 7 – May 1^st, 7:00pm – at Swift Current                              Dylan Cozens – 7G, 6A – 13 points

2017-2018 PLAYOFF STATS LEADERS:
Goals (16) – Brad Morrison                                               Assists (21) – Brad Morrison
Points (37) – Brad Morrison
PIMS (24) – Owen Blocker                                                Plus/Minus (+15) – Tate Olson
Wins (10) – Logan Flodell                                                 Shutouts (2) – Logan Flodell
Save % (.910) – Logan Flodell                                         Goals Against Average (2.70) – Logan Flodell

BRONCOS, REGULAR SEASON: The Hurricanes and Broncos met four times during the 2017-2018 regular season. Lethbridge posted a 1-3-0-0 record against Swift Current, with their lone victory coming at the ENMAX Centre on February 2^nd. Lethbridge won the only post trade-deadline match-up. The ‘Canes have posted an 8-4-0-0 record against the Broncos over the last three seasons.

REGULAR SEASON SERIES:                                                          HURRICANES TOP 5 SCORERS
October 10^th/2017 – at Swift Current (6-2 SC)                               Jordy Bellerive – 46G, 46A – 92 points
October 20^th/2017 – at Lethbridge (6-4 SC)                                   Brad Morrison – 27G, 48A – 75 points
November 11^th/2017 – at Swift Current (6-0 SC)                          Calen Addison – 11G, 54A – 65 points
February 2^nd/2018 – at Lethbridge (5-2 LET)                                 Dylan Cozens – 22G, 31A – 53 points
Taylor Ross – 21G, 21A – 42 points

2017-2018 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (46) – Jordy Bellerive                                              Assists (54) – Calen Addison
Points (92) – Jordy Bellerive
PIMS (103) – Matthew Stanley                                         Plus/Minus (+18) – Ty Prefontaine
Wins (38) – Logan Flodell                                                 Shutouts (3) – Logan Flodell
Save % (.909) – Logan Flodell                                         Goals Against Average (3.14) – Logan Flodell

2017-2018 REGULAR SEASON LEADERS:
– Jordy Bellerive is tied 12^th in WHL Scoring with 92 points & is tied 8^th in WHL Goals with 46
– Jordy Bellerive is tied 8^th in WHL Power Play Goals with 16 & tied 20^th in WHL Power Play Assists with 23
– Calen Addison is tied 9^th in WHL Defenseman Scoring with 65 points & tied 3^rd in WHL PP Assists with 35
– Calen Addison is 21^st in WHL Assists with 54
– Dylan Cozens is tied 2^nd in WHL Rookie Scoring with 53 points & 1^st in WHL Rookie Goals with 22
– Logan Flodell is 1^st in WHL Games Played with 61 & 2^nd in WHL Minutes by a Goaltender with 3474
– Logan Flodell is 1^st in WHL Shots Faced with 1999 & 1^st in WHL Saves with 1818
– Logan Flodell is 1^st in WHL Wins with 38 & 6^th in Shutouts with 3
– Logan Flodell is 1^st in WHL Eastern Conference Save Percentage .909%

NEWS & NOTES:
Five Times: While the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Swift Current Broncos have never faced off in the WHL Playoffs, the two franchises have met five times before in the post-season. When the Broncos were in Lethbridge, they faced the Calgary Wranglers (who became the Hurricanes) five times between 1977 and 1985. The Broncos franchise won three of those series (1977, 1979 and 1983) while the Wranglers won twice (1981 and 1985).

Experience: The Hurricanes have 498 man-games worth of playoff experience. Of all the ‘Canes, the most experienced is Igor Merezhko who has skated in 40 post-season games. The ‘Canes entered the 2018 playoffs with 190 games worth of playoff experience compared to 95 when they started the 2017 playoffs.

Game 6’s: The Hurricanes enter tonight having posted an all-time record of 3-7 in Game 6’s in their post-season history. This will be the first Game 6 that the Hurricanes will play in this post-season. The ‘Canes were 1-2 in Game 6’s in last year’s WHL Playoffs.

Go Mo Go: Hurricanes overage forward Brad Morrison has been on a tear in the WHL Playoffs so far as he has racked up 37 points (16g-21a) in 15 games in the WHL Playoffs; an average of 2.47 points per game. Morrison currently leads the entire WHL in playoff scoring. Morrison is just the third ‘Cane ever to reach the 30-point plateau in a single post-season joining Wes Walz (37 points in 19 games, 1990) and Mark Greig (32 points in 18 games, 1990). He is the single-season playoff record holder for most goals by a Hurricanes as he surpassed Kelly Ens who had 14 goals in 19 games in 1990; Morrison has 16 goals in 15 games.

Special Teams: The Hurricanes special teams have been terrific in the playoffs. The ‘Canes power play has converted at a 36.6% clip going 26/71 on the man advantage and is ranked second in the WHL Playoffs while the penalty kill has killed at 84.3% (59/70) sitting first overall in the post-season; the ‘Canes also lead the WHL Playoffs with five shorthanded goals after registering just four in the regular season. The ‘Canes PP was just 2/36 (5.6%) and PK was 62.2% (23/37) in their final nine regular season games.