GAME DAY: Hurricanes Welcome Rebels in ENMAX Pre-Season Finale
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes will play the final of their four-game ENMAX Pre-Season schedule tonight at 6:00pm as they welcome the Red Deer Rebels to the ENMAX Centre.
The Hurricanes (1-2-0-0) enter after earning their first win of the pre-season on Thursday with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Calgary Hitmen. Miguel Marques and Kooper Gizowski scored in regulation while Anton Astashevich scored the overtime winner. Brady Smith and Koen Cleaver split duties both making 12-saves in the win. Lethbridge went 1-1-0-0 on the road during the pre-season and enter tonight with an 0-1-0-0 record at home in the exhibition season.
The Rebels (2-1-0-0) enter having earned a 3-2 win on Friday over Calgary at Peavey Mart Centrium. Olli Josephson, Quentin Bourne and Samuel Drancak scored in the victory for the Rebels. Chase Wutzke made 31-saves in the Red Deer goal in the win. Red Deer enters with a 1-0-0-0 record on the road in the pre-season.
Tonight will be the final of four pre-season games for the Hurricanes and the only meeting of the exhibition schedule between the Hurricanes and Rebels. Lethbridge will face Red Deer six times during the 2023-2024 regular season.
Tickets can be purchased for $10.00 cash in advance by visiting the Lethbridge Hurricanes Office at the ENMAX Centre, the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association Office at Cavendish Farms Centre or at any Gas King location in Lethbridge. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. A portion of the proceeds will support Lethbridge Minor Hockey.
DOWNLOAD GAME NOTES/STATS HERE: 2023-09-16 – LET vs. RD
VS. REBELS: Tonight will be the only meeting of the ENMAX Pre-Season between the Hurricanes and Rebels. Last year, Lethbridge posted a 2-3-1-0 record in six regular season meetings against Red Deer. The ‘Canes and Rebels will meet six times during the 2023-2024 regular season.
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
October 7th/2023 – at Red Deer
October 20th/2023 – at Lethbridge
December 29th/2023 – at Lethbridge
February 19th/2024 – at Red Deer
March 15th/2024 – at Lethbridge
March 16th/2024 – at Red Deer
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON SERIES:
October 7th/2022 – at Red Deer (5-0 RD)
November 18th/2022 – at Lethbridge (3-2 SO LET)
January 14th/2023 – at Lethbridge (2-1 OT RD)
March 8th/2023 – at Red Deer (2-1 RD)
March 24th/2023 – at Lethbridge (6-4 LET)
March 25th/2023 – at Red Deer (5-1 RD)
2023 ENMAX Pre-Season Schedule:
Game 1 – Tue, Sept. 5th – Lethbridge vs. Medicine Hat – 7:00pm (ENMAX Centre) – 7-3 Loss
Game 2 – Sat, Sept. 9th – Lethbridge at Medicine Hat – 7:00pm (Co-op Place) – 5-4 Loss
Game 3 – Thu, Sept. 14th – Lethbridge at Calgary – 7:00pm (Seven Chiefs Sportsplex) – 3-2 OT Win
Game 4 – Fri, Sept. 16th – Lethbridge vs. Red Deer – 6:00pm (ENMAX Centre)
2022 PRE-SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (2) – Miguel Marques
Assists (4) – Miguel Marques
Points (6) – Miguel Marques
PIMS (4) – Three Players
Plus/Minus (+3) – Chase Pauls & Miguel Marques
Wins (1) – Koen Cleaver
Shutouts (0) – N/A
Save % (.914) – Koen Cleaver
Goals Against Average (2.95) – Koen Cleaver
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (22) – Logan Wormald & Tyson Laventure
Assists (35) – Cole Shepard
Points (55) – Cole Shepard
PIMS (90) – Joe Arntsen
Plus/Minus (+11) – Chase Pauls & Tristan Zandee
Wins (19) – Harrison Meneghin
Shutouts (3) – Bryan Thomson
Save % (.919) – Bryan Thomson
Goals Against Average (2.63) – Bryan Thomson
REGULAR SEASON MILESTONE WATCH:
– Logan McCutcheon is 29 points away from 100 career points
– Chase Pauls is 4 points away from 50 career points
– Joe Arntsen is 18 points away from 100 career points
– Noah Chadwick is 20 games away from 100 career games
– Logan Wormald is 18 points away from 100 career points
– Tyson Zimmer is 4 games away from 150 career games
– Hayden Smith is 9 games away from 150 career games
– Blake Swetlikoff is 15 points away from 100 career points
NEWS & NOTES:
Tune Up: The Hurricanes will play a total of four games during their 2023 ENMAX Pre-Season schedule. The ’Canes will face the Medicine Hat Tigers for a home-and-home set while also facing the Calgary Hitmen and Red Deer Rebels during the exhibition season. Lethbridge posted a 3-0-1-0 in their four-game pre-season in 2022. Lethbridge is 1-2-0-0 this pre-season.
Gone Pro: On August 10th, the Hurricanes announced that Brent Kisio resigned as head coach after eight years at the helm to accept an assistant coaching job with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. Kisio left the ‘Canes as the winningest coach in team history posting a 267-176-44 regular season record while qualifying for the playoffs each season.
New Bench Boss: The Hurricanes announced Bill Peters the 15th head coach in team history on August 30th. Peters, who has served as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames, returns to the WHL for the first time since 2008. He helped guide the Spokane Chiefs to a WHL and Memorial Cup Championship in 2008 before going to professional hockey. He has posted a 111-92-13 record as a WHL bench boss.
Maple Leafed: Hurricanes defenceman Noah Chadwick was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He was selected in the sixth round (185th overall) by the Leafs. Chadwick became the third ‘Cane ever to be selected by Toronto and the first since Andrew Nielsen in 2015. He was the 81st player in Hurricanes history to have his named called in the NHL Draft.
Gone Campin’: A total of six Hurricanes from the 2022-2023 season attended NHL Development camps during the summer. Returning players included: Joe Arntsen (NYR), Chase Pauls (LAK), Harrison Meneghin (MIN) and Noah Chadwick (TOR). All of whom are currently attending NHL Rookie Camps with the same teams that they attended in the summer.
Swedish Touch: The Hurricanes selected 2005-born forward Elias Knoester with their lone pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft selecting him in the first round (42nd overall). The product of Olofstrom, Sweden became just the third player to hail from Sweden to be taken by the Hurricanes joining Albin and Axel Blomqvist.
35+ Wins: Lethbridge ended the 2022-2023 regular season with 36 victories which marked the fifth time in the last seven seasons (not including the shortened 2021 season) that the ‘Canes have reached the 35-win mark. It was the 13th time in team history the Hurricanes reached that plateau. It is also the seventh consecutive season recording 30-or-more wins, the longest stretch in franchise history – previous long was five years consecutively from 1989-90 to 1993-94.
