CANES host Tigers
Hurricanes look to build on Saturday victory with Game 3 in Eastern Conference semifinal tonight at Enmax
As they’ve shown in the post-season, the Lethbridge Hurricanes know how to dig themselves out of a deficit. After securing a 1-1 split with the Medicine Hat Tigers thanks to a 7-4 win in Game 2 of the teams’ Western Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinal series Saturday night in Medicine Hat, the Canes head back to the Enmax Centre for Games 3 and 4 tonight and Wednesday.
After rallying from a 3-1 series hole in the first round against the Red Deer Rebels and then making three different Tigers’ leads vanish in Saturday’s win, the Canes have demonstrated they can rally when behind the eight-ball.
Still, it’s understandable if it’s a scenario the Canes would like to avoid if they can.
Which made Saturday’s Game 2 win a crucial one after a 40 loss to the Tigers to kick off the series Friday night.
“We’ve been in big holes before and we were hoping to not be in one tonight,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio. “We wanted one this weekend and were able to get one with the split.”
Now, the Hurricanes take that split back to the Enmax Centre.
“We get to go home in front of our fans. We’ve got home ice back,” said Kisio. “I think everybody knows how much we enjoy playing in front of our fans. They provide so much energy. It was rocking for Game 7 (against Red Deer) and I’m sure it’ll be rocking for Games 3 and 4. We’re excited.”
Leading the charge in Game 2 was Hurricanes assistant captain Giorgio Estephan, who scored three goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist.
“It’s huge,” said Estephan, who has five goals and 13 points in seven post-season games. “Any time you’re coming into a series without home ice it’s kind of big to split that against a team with a lot of offence and a lot of power. Definitely, coming out of that first game and getting shut out, it’s a good response for our team coming into Games 3 and 4.”
That Game 2 performance combined with his nearly two points-a-game output didn’t go unnoticed through the rest of the league as Estephan was named the WHL Player of the Week on Monday.
“Giorgio has been so good for us,” said Kisio. “I’ve said it numerous times. He’s just rock-solid on our draws. He’s good (on the) power play and the penalty kill. He scored the power-play goal and made a play on the penalty kill to get that turnover and create the other goal. We need our top guys to step up and he did.” Game time tonight and Wednesday is 7 p.m. NOTES - After Game 2, Estephan and Hurricanes captain Tyler Wong lead Canes playoff scorers with 13 points each . . . Tigers right winger Zach Fischer scored Medicine Hat’s first two goals Saturday night and added another in Game 1 Friday. He has four points to start the series and nine in the post-season.