Hurricanes Visit Hitmen in Third Pre-Season Game
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes continue the 2023 ENMAX Pre-Season tonight as they visit the Calgary Hitmen at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex at 7:00pm.
The Hurricanes (0-2-0-0) enter after suffering back-to-back losses to the Medicine Hat Tigers to open their four-game pre-season schedule. The ‘Canes suffered a 5-4 defeat on Saturday in Medicine Hat. In the loss, Brayden Edwards, Will Sharpe, Tyson Zimmer and Joe Arntsen scored while Harrison Meneghin made 35-saves in a complete game appearance. Lethbridge enters 0-1-0-0 on the road during the exhibition schedule.
The Hitmen (1-0-1-0) enter after earning a 4-3 victory on Saturday over the Edmonton Oil Kings. Carson Wetsch, Brandon Gorzynski, Connor Bear and Keets Fawcett scored in the win while Ethan Buenaventura made 21-saves in two periods of work; Alex Garrett made eight saves in the third period and was credited with the victory. Calgary has posted an 0-0-1-0 record at home in the pre-season.
Tonight will be the third ENMAX Pre-Season game for the Hurricanes and the only meeting against the Hitmen. Lethbridge will end the exhibition schedule on Saturday at 6:00pm when they welcome the Red Deer Rebels to the ENMAX Centre.
Parking will be complimentary for the game. Tickets for the pre-season game can be purchased for $10.00 cash in advance by visiting the Lethbridge Hurricanes Office at the ENMAX Centre, the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Office at Cavendish Farms Centre or at any Gas King location in Lethbridge. Portions of the proceeds will support Lethbridge Minor Hockey.
DOWNLOAD GAME NOTES/STATS HERE: 2023-09-14 – LET at CGY
VS. HITMEN: Tonight will be the only meeting of the ENMAX Pre-Season between the Hurricanes and Hitmen. Last year, Lethbridge posted a 4-3-0-0 record in seven regular season meetings against Calgary. The ‘Canes and Hitmen will meet seven times during the 2023-2024 regular season.
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
October 18th/2023 – at Lethbridge
October 22nd/2023 – at Calgary
October 27th/2023 – at Lethbridge
December 1st/2023 – at Lethbridge
February 3rd/2024 – at Lethbridge
February 25th/2024 – at Calgary
March 17th/2024 – at Calgary
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON SERIES:
December 17th/2022 – at LET (7-2 CGY)
January 15th/2023 – at CGY (4-1 LET)
February 15th/2023 – at LET (3-0 LET)
February 25th/2023 – at CGY (4-3 LET)
March 15th/2023 – at CGY (7-1 CGY)
March 17th/2023 – at LET (6-4 LET)
March 22nd/2023 – at LET (3-2 CGY)
2023 ENMAX Pre-Season Schedule:
Game 1 – Tue, Sept. 5th – Lethbridge vs. Medicine Hat – 7:00pm (ENMAX Centre) – 7-3 Loss
Game 2 – Sat, Sept. 9th – Lethbridge at Medicine Hat – 7:00pm (Co-op Place) – 5-4 Loss
Game 3 – Thu, Sept. 14th – Lethbridge at Calgary – 7:00pm (Seven Chiefs Sportsplex)
Game 4 – Fri, Sept. 16th – Lethbridge vs. Red Deer – 6:00pm (ENMAX Centre)
2022 PRE-SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (1) – Seven Players
Assists (3) – Miguel Marques
Points (4) – Miguel Marques
PIMS (4) – Will Sharpe
Plus/Minus (+3) – Chase Pauls
Wins (0) – N/A
Shutouts (0) – N/A
Save % (.905) – Koen Cleaver
Goals Against Average (4.14) – Koen Cleaver
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (22) – Logan Wormald & Tyson Laventure
Assists (35) – Cole Shepard
Points (55) – Cole Shepard
PIMS (90) – Joe Arntsen
Plus/Minus (+11) – Chase Pauls & Tristan Zandee
Wins (19) – Harrison Meneghin
Shutouts (3) – Bryan Thomson
Save % (.919) – Bryan Thomson
Goals Against Average (2.63) – Bryan Thomson
REGULAR SEASON MILESTONE WATCH:
– Logan McCutcheon is 29 points away from 100 career points
– Chase Pauls is 4 points away from 50 career points
– Joe Arntsen is 18 points away from 100 career points
– Noah Chadwick is 20 games away from 100 career games
– Logan Wormald is 18 points away from 100 career points
– Tyson Zimmer is 4 games away from 150 career games
– Hayden Smith is 9 games away from 150 career games
– Blake Swetlikoff is 15 points away from 100 career points
NEWS & NOTES:
Tune Up: The Hurricanes will play a total of four games during their 2023 ENMAX Pre-Season schedule. The ’Canes will face the Medicine Hat Tigers for a home-and-home set while also facing the Calgary Hitmen and Red Deer Rebels during the exhibition season. Lethbridge posted a 3-0-1-0 in their four-game pre-season in 2022. Lethbridge is 0-2-0-0 this pre-season.
Gone Pro: On August 10th, the Hurricanes announced that Brent Kisio resigned as head coach after eight years at the helm to accept an assistant coaching job with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. Kisio left the ‘Canes as the winningest coach in team history posting a 267-176-44 regular season record while qualifying for the playoffs each season.
New Bench Boss: The Hurricanes announced Bill Peters the 15th head coach in team history on August 30th. Peters, who has served as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames, returns to the WHL for the first time since 2008. He helped guide the Spokane Chiefs to a WHL and Memorial Cup Championship in 2008 before going to professional hockey. He has posted a 111-92-13 record as a WHL bench boss.
Maple Leafed: Hurricanes defenceman Noah Chadwick was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He was selected in the sixth round (185th overall) by the Leafs. Chadwick became the third ‘Cane ever to be selected by Toronto and the first since Andrew Nielsen in 2015. He was the 81st player in Hurricanes history to have his named called in the NHL Draft.
Gone Campin’: A total of six Hurricanes from the 2022-2023 season attended NHL Development camps during the summer. Returning players included: Joe Arntsen (NYR), Chase Pauls (LAK), Harrison Meneghin (MIN) and Noah Chadwick (TOR). All of whom are currently attending NHL Rookie Camps with the same teams that they attended in the summer.
Swedish Touch: The Hurricanes selected 2005-born forward Elias Knoester with their lone pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft selecting him in the first round (42nd overall). The product of Olofstrom, Sweden became just the third player to hail from Sweden to be taken by the Hurricanes joining Albin and Axel Blomqvist.
35+ Wins: Lethbridge ended the 2022-2023 regular season with 36 victories which marked the fifth time in the last seven seasons (not including the shortened 2021 season) that the ‘Canes have reached the 35-win mark. It was the 13th time in team history the Hurricanes reached that plateau. It is also the seventh consecutive season recording 30-or-more wins, the longest stretch in franchise history – previous long was five years consecutively from 1989-90 to 1993-94.
