Hurricanes score huge road win over Hitmen
Calgary, AB – After a nine day layoff for their Christmas break the Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the second half of the season with yet another home and home series with the Calgary Hitmen. Even more important, was the fact they started on the road which is where 21 of their 34 games this half will be played.
The Hurricanes got off to a very good start with a near perfect period of hockey on the road. The Canes opened the scoring near the halfway mark of the period, when Graham Hood picked off a pass at the Calgary blueline and fed the puck to Brady Ramsay who fired home his 10th goal of the season, beating Chris Driedger. The Canes nearly made it 2-0 moments later when Dan Johnston’s point shot hit the post. The Hitmen rallied in the final 90 seconds of the period, but Ty Rimmer came up with two key stops to keep the Canes in front 1-0 after 20 minutes and Rimmer would continue to be the story in the final 40 minutes. Lethbridge outshot Calgary 13-7 in the opening frame.
Rimmer put on a goaltending clinic in the second as Calgary were a different team in the middle frame and they outshot Lethbridge 17-5. Rimmer managed to make save after save after outstanding save to keep the Canes in the lead and then with 6 and a half minutes to go, Sam McKechnie blocked a shot, stole the puck on a breakaway and snapped the puck upstairs on Driedger for his 17th goal of the season making it a 2-0 game. The second period also turned chippy between the division rivals. After no penalties were called in the first, the teams combined for 30 minutes in penalties in the second.
Calgary would press to get back into the game and late in the period they would cut the Hurricanes lead in half. Ty Rimmer would get screened in front and Brooks Macek was there to find the back of the net making it a 2-1 game. The Hitmen pulled Driedger to try and get the equalizer, but that’s as close as they would get as Rimmer made a number of key saves in the dying seconds as the Canes get their first win over Calgary this season. Calgary outshot Lethbridge 37-25 in the game and they finished the night 1/6 on the powerplay while the Hurricanes were 0/4.
For game summary click here
Tonight’s 3 Stars: 3 – Brooks Macek, 2 – Sam McKechnie, 1 – Ty Rimmer
The Hurricanes are back in action Saturday, December 29th when they host Calgary in the back end of their home and home series. Game time is 7:00pm and the pregame show on 94.1 CJOC with Pat Siedlecki starts at 6:30. At home or on the road you can follow your Lethbridge Hurricanes on Twitter @WHLHurricanes, play by play analysis @CanesCast or by checking out our website at www.lethbridgehurricanes.com. Fans can also follow us on our Official Facebook Page at facebook.com/WHLHurricanes or check out the game live on WHL Web TV. (Recap courtesy PxP Broadcaster Pat Siedlecki)
