Hurricanes Drop Shootout Decision to Oil Kings
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes dropped their second-straight game on Saturday falling 3-2 in a shootout to the Edmonton Oil Kings at the ENMAX Centre.
Newly acquired forward Blake Swetlikoff made his Hurricanes debut after a Thursday trade from the Spokane Chiefs while Nolan Bentham and Bryan Thomson both returned to the lineup after missing 14 games due to injury. The ‘Canes had a good start to the game outshooting the Oil Kings early but couldn’t find the go-ahead goal. Edmonton stuck first at the 10:56 mark when 16-year-old Gavin Hodnett cashed in on a rebound to make it 1-0; Parker Alcos and Rilen Kovacevic earned the assists. Lethbridge outshot Edmonton 14-8 in the first period.
Lethbridge had a pair of great chances early in the second period as Tristan Zandee and Cole Shepard both had breakaways but couldn’t even the game. The Hurricanes peppered the Oil Kings in the opening ten minutes of the middle frame, but Logan Cunningham stood tall in the Edmonton crease. Lethbridge had a couple of good looks late in the frame but still trailed 1-0 after forty minutes. The ‘Canes outshot the Oil Kings 14-111 in the middle frame.
In the third period, the Hurricanes pulled even just 4:30 into the frame when newcomer Swetlikoff finished on a centering pass from Cole Shepard for his first goal as a ‘Cane while extending his point-streak to six-straight games to make it 1-1. The Hurricanes took their first lead on a power play goal as Logan Wormald rifled home his 15th goal of the season with 7:21 to play in regulation making it 2-1; Jett Jones and Tyson Zimmer earned the assists on the goal. However, with just three minutes remaining, Edmonton tied the game when Cole Miller swatted home a rebound to make it a 2-2 game. Lethbridge outshot Edmonton 17-10 in the third period but the game was even.
The two teams traded chances in overtime with the best look coming from Jones who cut into the middle and ripped a wrist-shot but it was gloved down by Cunningham to keep the game going. The ‘Canes and Oil Kings both directed two shots on goal in the five-minutes extra session, but neither team found a game-winner sending the contest to a shootout.
In the skills competition, the Oil Kings scored on both of their chances as Luca Hauf and Hodnett both struck while Noah Chadwick and Tyson Zimmer were both stopped giving Edmonton the 3-2 shootout victory.
The Hurricanes outshot the Oil Kings 47-31 in the contests. Lethbridge went 1/4 on the power play while going 2/2 on the penalty kill.
Three stars of the game were:
1) Oil Kings – #35 Logan Cunningham (45-saves, first WHL win)
2) ‘Canes – #26 Blake Swetlikoff (1 goal)
3) ‘Canes – #18 Logan Wormald (1 goal)
The defeat for the Hurricanes was their second-straight loss falling to 0-1-0-1 on their current five-game homestand. Lethbridge falls to 11-7-0-2 on home-ice this season while falling to 21-15-0-2 overall on the year. The ‘Canes are now 16-7-0-2 in their last 25 games.
The Hurricanes will continue their five-game homestand on Wednesday when they host the Swift Current Broncos to the ENMAX Centre at 7:00pm. Individual game tickets can be purchased in person at the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre, the Yates Memorial Theatre Ticket Centre, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) and online at www.lethbridgehurricanes.com.
