Hurricanes Drop 2-1 Decision to Wheat Kings
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes ended a two-game homestand on Friday with a 2-1 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings at the ENMAX Centre.
It was a good start for the Hurricanes who had a pair of good looks in the first three minutes of the game. However, it was the Wheat Kings that struck first at the 5:02 mark when Calder Anderson scored his second goal of the season to make it 1-0 Brandon. Just over four-and-a-half minutes later, the Hurricanes struck to tie the game when Joe Arntsen found the net with a point shot that beat a maze of bodies to make it a 1-1 game with Arntsen’s second of the year; Jett Jones and Noah Chadwick earned the assists on the goal. At the 13:19 mark, Brandon pulled back ahead with a shorthanded goal as Nate Danielson banged home a rebound to make it 2-1 Wheat Kings after twenty minutes of play.
The physicality ramped up in the second period as both sides began to play a heavy style of game. Lethbridge kept Brandon pinned in their own zone for the bulk of the period despite being outshot 9-8 in the frame. The ‘Canes had a glorious opportunity to tie the game, not once but twice. Lethbridge had a two-man advantage midway through the second period but couldn’t produce an equalizer while Nolan Bentham was stopped on a partial breakaway as the game remained 2-1 Wheat Kings after forty minutes of play.
In the third period, Bjarnason continued to play strong for Brandon. The Hurricanes peppered the Wheat Kings netminder with 13 shots in the final twenty minutes. Lethbridge’s best chance in the third period came when former Wheat King Tyson Zimmer was set up back-door but shot the one-timer wide of the goal. The ‘Canes pulled Meneghin late in the game in hopes of finding the tying goal but for the second-straight game the Hurricanes dropped a one-goal loss falling 2-1 to the Wheat Kings.
Lethbridge outshot Brandon 33-21 in the contest. The Hurricanes went 0/7 with the power play while the Wheat Kings were 0/5 with the extra man.
Three stars of the game were:
1) Wheat Kings – #31 Carson Bjarnason (31-saves)
2) Wheat Kings – #29 Nate Danielson (1 goal)
3) ‘Canes – #35 Harrison Meneghin (20-saves)
The loss for the Hurricanes was their second straight loss while it was their third straight home-ice defeat as they fell to 2-3-0-0 at the ENMAX Centre this season. Lethbridge falls to 4-7-0-0 overall on the season with the loss to the Wheat Kings.
Lethbridge will visit the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday and then again on Wednesday before returning to the ENMAX Centre to welcome the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday, October 29th at 7:00pm. Individual game tickets can be purchased in person at the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre, the Yates Memorial Theatre Ticket Centre, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) and online at www.lethbridgehurricanes.com.