Hurricanes Edge Hitmen 2-1; Take 2-0 Series Lead
Calgary, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes earned a 2-1 victory in Game 2 of their second-round series over the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday at Scotiabank Saddledome.
The ‘Canes led the series 1-0 after a 4-0 victory in Game 1 on Thursday. Lethbridge was on their heels early as Calgary came out flying in hopes of tying the series. The Hitmen came out peppering the Hurricanes early in the game but Jackson Unger – who earned his first career playoff shutout in Game 1 – was terrific early make a pair of key saves on Carson Wetsch and Oliver Tulk. Calgary had a glorious chance to open the scoring when Tulk had another good look on a two-on-one, but Unger once again turned away the Hitmen 100-point man. The Hurricanes found their game late in the first period as they had a good opportunity of their own on a partial two-on-one when Luke Cozens ripped a shot, but Anders Miller made a blocker save to keep the game scoreless after one period of play. The Hitmen outshot the Hurricanes 11-5 in the opening period.
Lethbridge responded in the second period as they put Calgary on their heels in the middle frame. Early in the period, Miguel Marques had a wide-open net after a turnover behind the goal by Miller, but the Calgary goaltender scurried back into the crease to rob the Nashville prospect to keep the game scoreless. The Hurricanes continued to pour it on with chance after chance including a trio of two-on-one looks, but Miller was superb in the Hitmen net. Unger was tested at the midway point of the period as the Hitmen pressed for an extended shift before Wetsch was set up alone in front of the net but the ‘Canes puck-stopper kicked out his right leg to rob the Calgary captain. The Hurricanes found the ice breaker at the 14:22 mark when Brayden Edwards redirected home his fourth goal of the playoffs on a power play to make it 1-0; Marques and Noah Chadwick earned the assists on the goal as Lethbridge led after forty minutes. The ‘Canes outshot the Hitmen 15-10 in the period.
In the third period, the Hurricanes had 1:05 remaining on the carry-over power play from the second period. Lethbridge pressed with the extra man but couldn’t find an insurance marker. The Hitmen once again pressed to find a goal, but Unger continued to be stellar in the Hurricanes crease stopping Tulk and Ben Kindel on point blank looks. Calgary eventually broke through to tie the game when Kindel slipped a shot through the legs of the Hurricanes netminder to make it a 1-1 game with 3:04 remaining in the game – the goal ended a shutout streak of 159:57 for Unger. Less a minute later, Lethbridge pulled back in front when Kooper Gizowski buried a rebound for his third goal of the playoffs to make it a 2-1 game; Chadwick and Anthony Wilson picked up the helpers on the go-ahead goal. Calgary pulled the goaltender, but Lethbridge was able to hang on for the 2-1 Game 2 victory.
The Hurricanes outshot the Hitmen 34-27 in the game. Lethbridge went 1/3 on the power play while Calgary did not have a man advantage opportunity; it marked the first time this season the ‘Canes did not take a minor penalty in a game.
Three stars of the game were:
1) ‘Canes – #35 Jackson Unger (33-saves)
2) Hitmen – #11 Ben Kindel (1 goal)
3) ‘Canes – #15 Kooper Gizowski (1 goal)
The win for the Hurricanes was their third-straight playoff victory as they took a 2-0 series lead. Lethbridge improved to 3-1-0 on the road this playoff as they improved to 2-0-0 in Game 2’s. The ‘Canes have now posted an all-time record of 19-23 in Game 2’s in their post-season history. It marks the second time in team history that the Hurricanes have led a series 2-0 after starting on the road and the first time since the third-round of the 2008 playoffs when Lethbridge swept Calgary in four games.
The Hurricanes will welcome the Hitmen for Games 3 & 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday next week at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena 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.
