Giants stand tall over Hurricanes
Both of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Vancouver Giants leading scorers found the scoresheet as the teams clashed in Western Hockey League action Friday night.
But the Giants leading pointgetters had the bigger stats night as the Giants toppled the Hurricanes 52 at the Enmax Centre.
Hurricanes leading goal scorer Jordy Bellerive opened the scoring with his 23rd goal of the season that extends his points streak to six games and captain Giorgio Estephan added another goal in the second period to briefly tie the game 2-2.
However, Vancouver’s Tyler Benson netted a pair of goals — including the eventual game-winner in the second period — before sitting out the last 9:08 of the game with a 10-minute misconduct for a mouth guard violation and Ty Ronning added his 35th goal of the season as the Giants upped their beaten streak to five games (4-0-1-0) and improved to 22-14-3-2, while the Hurricanes sit at 17-18-0 following the loss.
The teams skated into the first intermission tied at 1-1.
Bellerive got his stick on a shot from Estephan and deflected it past Giants goaltender David Tendeck for a 1-0 lead 8:02 into the game.
But the Giants secured the tie before the first period was over on a goal from Alex Kannok Leipert with 4:04 left.
Both teams’ leading scorers went to work in the second period as Benson handed the Giants a 2-1 lead with his 16th of the season 4:30 in, but the Canes responded on an individual rush from Estephan, who skated through the neutral zone, gained the Vancouver zone and sent a shot past Tendeck 1:20 later .
Benson gave the visitors the lead right back, cutting to the Canes goal and taking a feed from Ronning and sending a shot past Hurricanes goaltender Stuart Skinner for a 3-2 lead at 6:29 of the second.
The Giants went to the power play 3:37 into the third and immediately clicked when Ronning struck for his 35th goal of the season for a 4-2 Vancouver lead.
The Hurricanes pulled Skinner with a little over three minutes to go, but the Giants added to their lead when Jared Dmytriw potted an empty-netter with 2:29 left for a 5-2 lead.
Estephan and Bellerive each had an assist for two points each.
Ronning added an assist for three points and former Hurricanes defenceman Darian Skeoch added two helpers.
Skinner stopped 21 of 25 shots, while Tendeck turned aside 33 of 35 shots in the win.
The Hurricanes are back at the Enmax Centre tonight at 7 when the Calgary Hitmen visit.