Hurricanes Score Touchdown Against Tigers
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes continued their seven game home-stand on Sunday night and earned a 7-2 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers at the ENMAX Centre in front of 3,212 fans.
Zane Franklin led the way scoring his first WHL hat-trick. Franklin and his line-mates Giorgio Estephan and Dylan Cozens combined for eight points in the game.
The ‘Canes started with a bang as Franklin scored his first of three in the game just 19 seconds into the game as he buried a centering pass from Estephan – Cozens earned the second assist on the game. Medicine Hat equalized at the 2:21 mark as Mark Rassell scored his 11th of the season to make it 1-1. Franklin netted his second of the game at the 15:05 mark as he re-directed a Calen Addison point shot to give the ‘Canes a 2-1 lead after twenty minutes of play. Hurricanes outshot the Tigers 13-7 in the opening period.
Franklin completed the hat-trick 5:19 into the second period as he batted home his sixth of the season to make it 3-1 Lethbridge – Cozens and Addison picked up the helpers. Cozens scored his sixth of the season with a bullet by Jordan Hollett at the 9:24 mark to make it a 4-1 lead. Tigers forward James Hamblin scored his second of the season on a rebound past Stuart Skinner by the ‘Canes quickly answered as Ryan Vandervlis went coast-to-coast before finishing to make it 5-2 Lethbridge after two period. ‘Canes held the edge in shots 14-13 in the second period.
The ‘Canes added two more goals in the third period. First, Egor Zudilov scored his first of his career on a rebound off of Hollett to make it 6-2. The ‘Canes then made it a 7-2 score when Brady Pouteau scored his first of the season at the 16:32 mark – Jordy Bellerive and Jadon Joseph earned the helpers on the goal. The ‘Canes then killed off three consecutive penalties late in the game to as they went on to the 7-2 win.
The ‘Canes were outshot 17-9 in the third period and 37-36 in the game. The ‘Canes went 0/1 on the power play while the Tigers were 0/3.
Three stars of the game were:
1) ‘Canes – #25 Zane Franklin (3 goals)
2) ‘Canes – #24 Dylan Cozens (1 goal, 2 assists)
3) ‘Canes – #2 Calen Addison (3 assists)
The Hurricanes improve to 4-2-0-0 on home ice this season and pulled to 5-5-0-0 on the season overall.
The ‘Canes return to action this coming Wednesday when they welcome the Regina Pats at the ENMAX Centre in the third game of the seven game home-stand. Tickets are available online, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) or by visiting the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre.
(Photo Credit: Cindy Adachi)
