Hurricanes Earn 5-4 Overtime Win Against Warriors
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes played their final home game of the regular season on Friday as they earned a 5-4 overtime victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors at the ENMAX Centre.
The Hurricanes handed out their team awards prior to the game which was headline but Justin Hall who was named the recipient of the Harry Ingarfield Memorial Award as the Hurricanes Most Valuable Player – for a full list of award winners visit: https://bit.ly/3vmtlJH.
The ‘Canes fed off the early energy in the building with over 4,300 people in attendance and got on the board first when Yegor Klavdiev buried his 20th goal of the season at the 6:30 mark to make it 1-0; Tyson Laventure and Jett Jones earned the assists on the goal as Klavdiev became the third ‘Cane this season to reach the 20-goal mark. Moose Jaw tied the game on a weird goal with just 1:10 remaining in the period when Majid Kaddoura had a point shot deflect between the legs of Bryan Thomson to even the game 1-1 after twenty minutes of play. Shots favoured the Warriors 16-12 in the opening frame.
Early in the second period, the Warriors struck to take their first lead as Ryder Korczak buried a point shot passed Thomson to make it 2-1 Moose Jaw just 21-seconds into the frame. Lethbridge tied the game when Brayden Edwards snapped home his eighth of the season at the 9:39 to draw the Hurricanes even at 2-2; Logan Wormald and Miguel Marques earned the helpers on the goal. Edwards struck again just over seven-minutes later when he tipped home his second goal of the night – and ninth of the season – while on a power play to give Lethbridge a 3-2 lead after forty minutes. The Hurricanes were outshot 16-9 in the second period.
In the third, the Warriors tied the game at the 11:09 mark when Martin Rysavy redirected a Kaddoura point shot on a power play to make it a 3-3 game. Moose Jaw pulled back ahead with a weird goal with just 3:40 remaining in regulation as Cole Jordan had a centering pass deflect up and over Thomson and into the net to make it 4-3. The ‘Canes pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker and for the first time this year, the ‘Canes were able to tie the game with a 6-on-5 attack as Alex Thacker buried his 13th goal of the season to even the game at 4-4 after sixty minutes.
Early in the overtime period, the Hurricanes would win the game as Klavdiev was sprung free on a breakaway on a pass from Edwards and Klavdiev made no mistake slipping one through the legs of Carl Tetachuk to give the Hurricanes their sixth overtime win of the season giving the ‘Canes a 5-4 overtime victory.
The Hurricanes were outshot 39-32 in the game. Lethbridge went 1/2 on the power play while going 4/5 on the penalty kill.
Three stars of the game were the Hurricanes three overage players:
1) ‘Canes – #9 Justin Hall
2) ‘Canes – #10 Kade Nolan
3) ‘Canes – #16 Corson Hopwo
The victory for the Hurricanes was their fourth straight home triumph while their fourth straight victory against Moose Jaw. The ‘Canes finish the regular season with an 18-13-2-1 record this year at the ENMAX Centre. The win improved the Hurricanes overall record to 32-30-4-1 on the season guaranteeing an above five-hundred record on the season.
The Hurricanes will end the regular season with a game on Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm against the Calgary Hitmen at Scotiabank Saddledome before beginning the WHL Playoffs on Thursday in Edmonton at Rogers Place.
The ‘Canes will host the Oil Kings in Games 3 & 4 on Tuesday, April 26th and Thursday, April 28th at the ENMAX Centre. Single game tickets for their home playoff games will go on-sale on Thursday, April 21st at 10:00am and can be purchased in person at the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre or the Yates Memorial Theatre Ticket Centre, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) or online at www.lethbridgehurricanes.com.
