Hurricanes hang on for win

Aquick start ultimately proved key for the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Hurricanes kicked off a five-game road swing with a 53 win over the Kootenay Ice during Western Hockey League action Saturday night in Cranbrook.

Lethbridge jumped out to a 4-0 lead heading into the first intermission for a lead that remained intact into the third before the Ice replied with three unanswered goals in a little under seven minutes to cut the lead to 4-3.

But with the final minute ticking down, former Ice forward Matt Alfaro scored his second of the game into an empty net with 39 seconds remaining to seal the win the improves the Hurricanes to 3817-43 on the season.

The Hurricanes were up 3-0 before the game was 10 minutes old as Hurricanes captain Tyler Wong surpassed his goal-scoring output from last year with his 44th goal of the season 6:23 into the game.

It was 2-0 a little over two minutes later when Tanner Nagel scored his first goal of the 2017 calendar year and first since Nov. 28 before Alfaro sniped one against his former Ice teammates at 9:29 of the first for a 3-0 lead.

The Canes went to the man advantage late in the first and Wong added his second of the game for a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes.

It stayed 4-0 until early in the third when Kootenay found a way past Canes goaltender Ryan Gilchrist on a even strength goal from Troy Murray 3:54 into the final period.

The Ice cut that lead in half 8:46 into the third when former Hurricane Colton Kroeker scored shorthanded to make it 4-2 Lethbridge.

Kootenay then went to the power play and made it 4-3 on a goal from Cale Fleury at the 10:49 mark.

But Alfaro provided the empty-netter and the insurance marker late for his 22nd of the season and his seventh goal in the last four games.

The Canes power play was 1for-3 and Gilchrist stopped 30 shots to improve to 7-2-0-0 on the season.

The Hurricanes continue their road trip Tuesday when they head to Regina to take on the Pats.