GAME DAY: Hurricanes Host Hitmen in ENMAX Pre-Season Action
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes welcome the Calgary Hitmen tonight at 7:00pm at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena as they continue the ENMAX Pre-Season.
The Hurricanes (1-1-0-0) enter after suffering a 5-2 defeat in Red Deer last Saturday. Leo Braillard and Chase Petersen scored in the loss while Brady Smith stopped 13 of 16 shots and Koen Cleaver allowed two goals on 18 shots. Lethbridge went 1/6 on the power play while going 4/8 on the penalty kill. The ‘Canes are 1-0-0-0 at home during the exhibition season.
The Hitmen (1-1-0-0) are coming off a 5-0 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday. Calgary was outshot 29-22 in the contest as Alex Garrett made 24-saves in the game. In both Hitmen pre-season games so far, the winner has won by shutout after Calgary defeated the Red Deer Rebels 1-0 in their exhibition opener. They are 1-0-0-0 at home and 0-1-0-0 in the pre-season so far.
Tonight will be the only meeting between the Hurricanes and Hitmen in the pre-season. Lethbridge and Calgary will face off eight times during the regular season. The ‘Canes posted a 4-1-2-0 record in seven regular season meetings against the Hitmen during the 2023-2024 regular season.
Tickets for tonight’s game can be purchased for $10.00 online at www.visitlethbridgearena.ca; proceeds benefitting the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association. Parking will be complimentary for the home pre-season games, courtesy of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Fans are encouraged to bring a pair of new socks to the Hurricanes two home pre-season games in support of Onside Restoration’s Socktember with all donations benefiting local charities, including the YWCA, Grant’s Closet and Lethbridge Family Services.
DOWNLOAD MEDIA KIT HERE: 2024-09-13 – LET vs. CGY
VS. HITMEN: Tonight will be the only meeting of the pre-season between the Hurricanes and Hitmen. Lethbridge posted a 4-1-2-0 record in seven meetings against Calgary last season. The two teams will meet eight times during the 2024-2025 regular season.
2024-2025 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
September 29th/2024 – at Calgary
October 19th/2024 – at Calgary
November 1st/2024 – at Lethbridge
December 27th/2024 – at Lethbridge
January 25th/2025 – at Lethbridge
February 2nd/2025 – at Calgary
February 11th/2025 – at Calgary
March 15th/2025 – at Lethbridge
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
October 18th/2023 – at Lethbridge (3-2 OT LET)
October 22nd/2023 – at Calgary (4-3 CGY)
October 27th/2023 – at Lethbridge (4-3 OT CGY)
November 29th/2023 – at Lethbridge (4-1 LET)
February 3rd/2024 – at Lethbridge (6-0 LET)
February 25th/2024 – at Calgary (9-2 LET)
March 17th/2024 – at Calgary (3-2 CGY OT)
2024 ENMAX Pre-Season Schedule:
Game 1 – Tue, Sept. 3rd – Lethbridge vs. Medicine Hat – 7:00pm (VisitLethbridge.com Arena) – 4-1 Win
Game 2 – Sat, Sept. 7th – Lethbridge at Red Deer – 7:00pm (Peavey Mart Centrium) – 5-2 Loss
Game 3 – Fri, Sept. 13th – Lethbridge vs. Calgary – 7:00pm (VisitLethbridge.com Arena)
Game 4 – Sun, Sept. 15th – Lethbridge at Medicine Hat – 4:00pm (Co-op Place)
2024 PRE-SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (2) – Kai Anderson & Chase Petersen
Assists (2) – Tyden Lafournaise & Reid Soper
Points (2) – Four Players
PIMS (6) – Ryder Ellis
Plus/Minus (+3) – Reid Soper
Wins (1) – Leif Oaten
Shutouts (0) – N/A
Save % (1.000) – Leif Oaten
Goals Against Average (0.00) – Leif Oaten
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (31) – Brayden Edwards
Assists (46) – Miguel Marques
Points (74) – Miguel Marques
PIMS (120) – Landen Ward
Plus/Minus (+27) – Brayden Edwards
Wins (27) – Harrison Meneghin
Shutouts (3) – Harrison Meneghin
Save % (.919) – Harrison Meneghin
Goals Against Average (2.58) – Harrison Meneghin
REGULAR SEASON MILESTONE WATCH:
– Logan McCutcheon is 19 games away from 250 career games
– Logan McCutcheon is 5 assists away from 100 career assists
– Noah Chadwick is 4 games away from 150 career games
– Miguel Marques is 14 games away from 150 career games
– Logan Wormald is 15 assists away from 100 career assists
– Logan Wormald is 10 points away from 150 career points
– Hayden Pakkala is 4 games away from 200 career games
– Trae Johnson is 13 games away from 200 career games
– Harrison Meneghin is 10 games away from 100 career games
– Harrison Meneghin is 4 wins away from 50 career victories
NEWS & NOTES:
Ready or Not: The Hurricanes will play a total of four games during their 2024 ENMAX Pre-Season schedule. The ‘Canes will face the Medicine Hat Tigers twice while also facing the Red Deer Rebels and Calgary Hitmen. Lethbridge posted a 2-2-0-0 record in their four-game exhibition schedule in 2023.
Splitsies: The ‘Canes have split the first two pre-season games with a 4-1 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers and a 5-2 loss to the Red Deer Rebels. Lethbridge has posted a 1-0-0-0 record at home while going 0-1-0-0 on the road. The Hurricanes will host the Calgary Hitmen before ending the exhibition season on Sunday in Medicine Hat.
Re-assigned: So far, the Hurricanes have re-assigned six players, trimming their exhibition roster to 27-players. The ‘Canes re-assigned goaltenders Brody Rotar (Lethbridge U18 Hurricanes) and Leif Oaten (Edge U18) as well as forwards Matteo Di Stefano (Yale U17), Jake Evans (Saskatoon Contacts U18), Cohen Pentney (Calgary Flames U18) and defenceman Reid Soper (NAX U18). Lethbridge currently has three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 16 forwards.
New Captain: On August 30th, the Hurricanes announced Noah Chadwick as the 32nd Captain in team history. The Toronto Maple Leaf prospect succeeds outgoing captain Joe Arntsen who served for three seasons. Chadwick served as an Alternate Captain in 2023-2024. The Saskatoon, SK, product recorded a career-high 56 points (12g-44a) in 66 games last season.
Duo Signed: On September 2nd, the Hurricanes announced the signings of 2009-born forwards Matteo Di Stefano and Jake Evans to WHL Scholarship and Development Agreements. Evans was a fourth-round pick (84th overall) while Di Stefano was taken in the sixth-round (124th overall) in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.
2023-2024 Review: The ‘Canes finished the 2023-2024 regular season with a 33-28-7-0 record finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. It marked the eighth straight campaign that the ‘Canes recorded 33-or-more victories during the regular season. The ‘Canes went 18-10-6-0 at home and 15-18-1-0 on the road last year.
Canada Campin’: During the summer, Hurricanes defencemen Noah Chadwick and Will Sharpe took part in Hockey Canada camps. Chadwick took part in the National Junior Team Summer Showcase in preparation for the 2025 World Junior Championship while Sharpe participated in the Hlinka Gretzky Selection Camp.
Off-Season Acquisition: On July 10th, the Hurricanes announced the acquisition of 2005-born forward Trae Johnson from the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. Johnson, who was previously selected in the second-round of the 2020 draft, appeared in 57 games with the Rockets last season totaling 13 points (3g-10a) along with 77 penalty minutes.
