Hurricanes Suffer Second-Straight Overtime Loss to Hitmen; Now Trail Series 3-2
Calgary, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes suffered their second-straight overtime loss on Friday as they dropped a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to the Calgary Hitmen in Game 5 at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Entering Game 5 the series featured the road team being successful in the first four games after Calgary earned back-to-back wins in Lethbridge on Tuesday and Wednesday to tie the series 2-2. The ‘Canes had a great start to the game when Miguel Marques scored his third goal of the playoffs at the 4:31 mark deking out Anders Miller on a breakaway to make it 1-0 Lethbridge; Shane Smith earned the lone assist on the goal. Calgary answered with a goal by Carter Yakemchuk on a slapshot from the right point to tie the game 1-1; Ben Kindel and Oliver Tulk picked up the assists on the goal. The Hurricanes shortly after pulled back in from when Jordan Gustafson pick-pocketed Aidan Park before ripping home his third goal of the playoffs just 1:26 later. Before the end of the period, the Hitmen once again tied the game when Brandon Gorzynski had a shot go off Jackson Unger’s blocker, into the air, and into the net to make it a 2-2 game after twenty minutes of play. Shots favoured Calgary 12-10 in the first period.
The Hitmen peppered the Hurricanes early in the second period as they outshot Lethbridge 5-1 in the first five minutes, but Unger was great keeping the game tied. Lethbridge once again pulled ahead at the 8:02 mark when Brayden Yager wired home his first goal of the series – and fifth of the playoffs – to give the ‘Canes are 3-2 lead; Gustafson and Kooper Gizowski picked up the assists on the goal. The Hurricanes scored again just 1:43 later as Logan Wormald cruised by a Hitmen defender before slipping a shot under Miller to make it a 4-2 Lethbridge lead; Caden Price earned the lone assist on the goal. Lethbridge kept their foot on the gas with a power play when Yager snapped a shot off the crossbar with just over three-minutes left in the period. The Hurricanes scored their third-straight game when Wormald was found alone in front of the net while shorthanded before lifting a shot over the blocker for a 5-2 lead. The Hitmen struck back with a goal on the same power play while Connor Hvidston tapped home his second the playoffs to make it a 5-3 game after two periods. Lethbridge outshot Calgary 14-8 in the period.
In the third period, the Hitmen cut the lead to one just 6:05 into the frame when Carson Wetsch worked in on the right side before ripping home his fifth goal of the playoffs low to the glove side of Unger to make it a 5-4 game; David Adaszynski and Sawyer Mynio earned the helpers on the goal. The Hitmen and Hurricanes played a very methodical final twenty minutes before a breakdown resulted in an odd-man rush for Calgary and Oliver Tulk was found alone in front the net and he ripped it home to tie the game 5-5 with his fourth goal of the post-season; Gorzynski and Kindel picked up the assists on the equalizing goal. The ‘Canes had a late chance in the final minute on a puck thrown to the net by Edwards, but Miller kicked it aside as the game went to overtime. Shots slightly favoured the Hitmen 5-4 in the third period.
It marked the second straight game that the game went to overtime after Calgary earned a 3-2 win on Wednesday in Game 4. The Hitmen struck early again into the extra session when Kindel snapped home his second-straight overtime winner to give Calgary a come-from-behind 6-5 overtime win; Tulk earned the lone assist on the goal. Shots were tied 3-3 in the overtime period.
The Hurricanes outshot the Hitmen 31-28 in the game. Lethbridge was 0/1 on the power play while Calgary was 1/1 with the extra man.
Three stars of the game were:
1) Hitmen – #11 Ben Kindel (1 goal, 2 assists)
2) Hitmen – #38 Brandon Gorzynski (1 goal, 2 assists)
3) ‘Canes – #18 Logan Wormald (2 goals)
The loss for the Hurricanes was their third straight defeat in the series after taking a 2-0 series lead but now trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. It also marked the second-straight overtime loss for the Hurricanes. Lethbridge will face elimination for the first time in these playoffs on Saturday at 7:00pm in Game 6 at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
The Hurricanes will welcome the Hitmen on Saturday at 7:00pm at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena in Game 6 of their best-of-seven series. Tickets for the game 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.
