GAME DAY: Hurricanes Host Hitmen Tonight at 7pm
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes open a two-game homestand tonight as they welcome the Calgary Hitmen to the ENMAX Centre at 7:00pm.
The Hurricanes (28-18-3-3) enter having earned three out of four points over the weekend with a weekend split against the Medicine Hat Tigers. The ‘Canes dropped a 3-2 shootout decision on Saturday. Jett Jones and Joe Arntsen scored in the defeat while Harrison Meneghin made 24-saves. Lethbridge enters tonight with a 16-8-1-2 record at the ENMAX Centre this season.
The Hitmen (23-22-5-2) enter on a nine game losing streak after suffering a 3-2 loss on Saturday in Brandon to the Wheat Kings. Calgary held a 2-0 lead in the game, only to see the Wheat Kings score three unanswered goals en route to the win. Chase Valliant and Carter Yakemchuk scored in the loss. Calgary is 0-6-1-2 in their last nine games while having gone 13-12-2-0 on the road this season.
Tonight will be the third of seven meetings between the Hurricanes and Hitmen; Lethbridge has posted a 1-1-0-0 record against Calgary so far this season with the road team having won both contests so far. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre, the Yates Memorial Theatre Ticket Centre, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) or online at www.lethbridgehurricanes.com.
DOWNLOAD GAME NOTES/STATS HERE: 2023-02-15 – LET vs. CGY
VS. HITMEN: Tonight will be the third of seven meetings on the season between the Hurricanes and Hitmen. Lethbridge has posted a 1-1-0-0 record against Calgary so far this year, as the road team has won both meetings so far. Last season, the Hurricanes posted an impressive 7-1-0-0 record. Four of the seven meetings this season will be held at the ENMAX Centre. Lethbridge has posted an all-time record of 81-91-0-5 with six ties against Calgary while going 44-43-3-3 with four ties at the ENMAX Centre.
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
February 25th/2023 – at CGY
March 15th/2023 – at CGY
March 17th/2023 – at LET
March 22nd/2023 – at LET
2021-2022 REGULAR SEASON SERIES:
October 1st/2021 – at Lethbridge (9-2 LET)
October 3rd/2021 – at Calgary (4-1 LET)
December 4th/2021 – at Calgary (5-4 OT LET)
December 8th/2021 – at Lethbridge (3-2 SO LET)
January 28th/2022 – at Lethbridge (3-2 OT LET)
February 25th/2022 – at Lethbridge (8-1 CGY)
April 9th/2022 – at Lethbridge (5-1 LET)
April 17th/2022 – at Calgary (3-2 OT LET)
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (19) – Logan Wormald
Assists (27) – Cole Shepard
Points (45) – Cole Shepard
PIMS (69) – Joe Arntsen
Plus/Minus (+14) – Chase Pauls
Wins (19) – Harrison Meneghin
Shutouts (1) – Harrison Meneghin & Bryan Thomson
Save % (.933) – Bryan Thomson
Goals Against Average (1.98) – Bryan Thomson
WHO’S HOT:
– Cole Shepard has points in 3 straight games (1g-3a); 7 of 11 games (5g-6a); 32 of 50 games (18g-27a)
– Joe Arntsen has points in 3 straight games (1g-3a); 6 of 7 games (2g-6a); 8 of 11 games (3g-7a)
– Jett Jones has points in 2 straight games (1g-2a); 4 of 8 games (2g-5a); 25 of 40 games (14g-23a)
– Tyson Laventure has points in 4 of 5 games (3g-1a); 6 of 9 games (4g-3a); 17 of 24 games (15g-11a)
– Blake Swetlikoff has points in 5 of 7 games (2g-5a); 14 of 20 games (7g-14a)
– Logan McCutcheon has points in 2 of 3 games (1g-1a); 3 of 5 games (1g-2a)
– Nolan Bentham has points in 3 of 6 games (1g-3a); 4 of 8 games (1g-4a)
– Trae Wilke has points in 3 of 6 games (1g-2a); 4 of 8 games (1g-3a)
– Brayden Edwards has points in 2 of 4 games (2a)
– Logan Wormald has points in 2 of 4 games (1g-1a); 3 of 6 games (1g-3a); 9 of 20 games (8g-4a)
– Hayden Smith has points in 3 of 7 games (5g-2a); 4 of 9 games (6g-3a); 5 of 14 games (7g-2a)
– Tristen Doyle has points in 2 of 6 games (3a); 7 of 17 games (2g-6a)
REGULAR SEASON MILESTONE WATCH:
– Logan McCutcheon is 3 games away from 150 career games
– Chase Pauls is 6 games away from 150 career games
– Chase Pauls is 7 points away from 50 career points
– Anton Astashevich is 6 games away from 100 career games
– Blake Swetlikoff is 7 games away from 150 career games
– Cole Shepard is 6 points away from 100 career points
– Tyson Laventure is 10 points away from 100 career points
NEWS & NOTES:
Thru 52: The Hurricanes enter tonight with a record of 28-18-3-3 (62 points) on the season after 52 games. The ‘Canes are 16-8-1-2 at home while posting a record of 12-10-2-1 on the road. In 2021-2022, Lethbridge had gone 23-26-1-2 after 52 contests. Lethbridge 6-2-3-1 in January and are 2-2-0-1 in February.
Heavy on Hitmen: Tonight will be the first of five more meetings on the season between the Hurricanes and Hitmen. The teams have split a pair of games so far with the road team winning both meetings. Of the ‘Canes remaining 17 games, five will be against Calgary, equating to 29% of Lethbridge’s remaining games against their Central Division rivals. This season, the ‘Canes have posted a 15-7-1-2 record against divisional opponents.
Strong PK: Entering tonight, the Hurricanes have allowed just seven power play goals against in their last 20 games having killed 62-of-69 penalties taken in that span for a kill rate of 89.9%. Oppositions have gone just 12-for-90 in the last 26 games – resulting in an 86.7% kill rate for the Hurricanes in that span. Lethbridge sits 7th in the WHL in penalty kill percentage this season while holding the best home PK in the league.
Streakin’: The Hurricanes enter play tonight having posted a 7-3-3-2 record in their last 15 games. Lethbridge has posted a 23-10-3-3 record in their last 40 games. Lethbridge has gone 14-5-1-2 in their last 22 games on home ice and 9-5-2-1 in their last 17 games away from home.
Cen-tendy: Overage goaltender Bryan Thomson is just the eighth netminder in Hurricanes history to play 100+ games and the first to reach the 100-game mark since Stuart Skinner, who is the all-time leader (182GP). Thomson is also the seventh goaltender in ‘Canes history to reach the 50-win mark after earning a 35-save performance in a 4-1 win against his hometown Moose Jaw Warriors on February 1st.
Rookie Tendy: Hurricanes netminder Harrison Meneghin enters tonight with a 19-10-2-2 record, sitting one win shy of becoming the 14th goalie in ‘Canes history to reach 20-wins in a season – he would become just the fourth rookie goaltender to reach that mark joining Logan Koopmans, Juha Metsola and Carl Tetachuk who previously accomplished the feat. Meneghin enters tonight 17-7-2-2 record in his last 28 starts.
Great Fit: 19-year-old forward Blake Swetlikoff has fit in seamlessly with the Hurricanes since being acquired from the Spokane Chiefs on January 5th. Swetlikoff has racked up 14 points (4g-10a) in 15 games with the ‘Canes and enters with points in 14 of his last 20 games totaling 21 points (7g-14a) in that span.
Faceoff King: Jett Jones enters tonight as the WHL leader in faceoffs taken this season with 1,287 draws taken, averaging 24.8 draws per game. Jones has won 20+ faceoffs in a game four times this season, becoming the first Hurricanes centre-man to accomplish that feat on four occasions since the WHL began tracking faceoffs in 2017, surpassing Jake Leschyshyn and Giorgio Estephan – who both did it twice.
