Hurricanes Shutout by Tigers on Saturday
Medicine Hat, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes had their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 4-0 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers at Co-op Place.
The Hurricanes played the first of a two-game road trip and the first of a stretch of nine of the next 11 games away from home. Lethbridge and Medicine Hat had a tentative start to the games as neither team registered a shot on goal for the first five minutes. The Hurricanes appeared to score the first goal of the game when a puck deflected off Easton Daneault and into the net, but the goal was overturned after a video review as it stayed scoreless. Late in the period, the Tigers went to the game’s first power play after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Chase Petersen following a fight with Carter Cunningham. On the man advantage, Medicine Hat came close to striking first but Koen Cleaver was sharp to keep it a scoreless game. Tigers outshot the Hurricanes 10-5 in the first period.
Medicine Hat controlled the play in the second period as they outshot Lethbridge 11-6 in the middle frame. The Tigers opened the scoring just 2:49 into the middle frame when Oasiz Wiesblatt ripped home his 15th goal of the season – and fourth against the Hurricanes this year – to make it a 1-0 lead; Andrew Basha and Ryder Ritchie picked up the helpers on the goal. Medicine Hat continued to keep the ‘Canes on their heels in the second period and doubled their lead with a late power play marker by Liam Ruck who tapped home his 11th goal to make it 2-0; Jonas Woo and Markus Ruck picked up the helpers as the Tigers led 2-0 after forty minutes of play.
In the third period, the Hurricanes had a good early chance on the first shift when Shane Smith cut in front of the net but was stopped by Jordan Switzer. Lethbridge earned their first power play of the game just over six minutes into the frame when Logan Wormald was hauled down on a breakaway. On the man advantage, the ‘Canes failed to register a shot before a penalty to Kooper Gizowski took Lethbridge off the power play. Medicine Hat was unable to strike on the man advantage, but right after the penalty expired, the Tigers made it 3-0 when Hunter St. Martin lifted home his team-leading 23rd goal on a rebound with 9:28 remaining in the game; Ritchie and Basha earned the assists on the goal. Before the end of the game, the Tigers added another goal as Liam Ruck tapped home a centering pass for his second of the night to make it a 4-0 final.
The Hurricanes were outshot 31-17 in the game by the Tigers. Medicine Hat went 1/4 on the power play while Lethbridge was 0/2 with the extra man.
Three stars of the game were:
1) Tigers – #31 Jordan Switzer (17-save shutout)
2) Tigers – #12 Liam Ruck (2 goals)
3) Tigers – #16 Hunter St. Martin (1 goal, 1 assist)
The loss for the Hurricanes was their seventh-straight road defeat as they fell to 4-10-0-1 away from home this season while their two-game winning streak came to an end. Lethbridge’s overall record for to 18-12-1-1 on the season as they fall to three-points back of Medicine Hat for the Central Division lead. The ‘Canes are now 3-2-0-0 against the Tigers this season.
The Hurricanes will play their final game of the 2024 calendar on Monday when they visit the Red Deer Rebels at Peavey Mart Centrium at 7:00pm. Lethbridge will return to the VisitLethbridge.com Arena on Friday, January 3rd when they open a three-in-three weekend against the Edmonton Oil Kings at 7:00pm. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Yates Memorial Theatre or VisitLethbridge.com Arena Ticket Centre, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) or online at www.visitlethbridgearena.ca.
