Barlage powers Hurricanes
Timely special teams play keyed a Lethbridge Hurricanes comeback and the new faces in the lineup contributed once again.
The Hurricanes downed the Red Deer Rebels 6-4 in Western Hockey League action Friday in Red Deer.
Trailing 3-1 after the first period, the Canes got powerplay goals from newlyappointed captain Jordy Bellerive and Taylor Ross to knot the score at 3-3 before new acquisition Logan Barlage went to work in the third, scoring his first two goals in Canes silks for a 5-3 lead and the eventual gamewinner. The Hurricanes improve to 19-19-3-0 on the season and moved into second place in the Central Division.
Meanwhile, another new face kept up the pace since arriving in Lethbridge as former Vancouver Giant Brad Morrison scored Lethbridge’s first goal and assisted on both power-play markers for five points in two games since arriving Monday.
Dylan Cozens added the other Hurricanes goal with an empty-netter with 1:09 to go, the rookie’s 13th of the season.
Bellerive added two assists for a three-point night, while Cozens and Ross each had an assist for two points.
Defenceman Ty Prefontaine added two helpers in the winning cause.
Goaltender Logan Flodell, making his second straight start since arriving from Swift Current, stopped 23 of 27 shots.
Lethbridge’s power play was 2-for-5 on the night.
The Hurricanes are back home tonight when the host the Kootenay Ice at 7 p.m. at the Enmax Centre.
The Ice trail the Hurricanes by two points in the Central Division, but Lethbridge has one game in hand.
Bellerive is the team’s 26th captain in franchise history.
The 18-year-old forward from North Vancouver takes over from who was traded to the Swift Current Broncos earlier this week.
This season, the property of the Pittsburgh Penguins has 24 goals and 54 points.
“It was an easy decision to name Jordy captain. He’s been one of our leaders for a couple of years now,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio in a statement. “He’s a great leader and works hard on and off the ice and he approaches the game as a pro. As a coach, he’s the type of leader you want and as a player he’s the type of player you’d want as well.”
Joining Bellerive in the leadership group are defencemen and who will be full-time alternate captains as well as
and Prefontaine, who will alternate as alternate captains.
Also on Friday, the Canes signed 2001-born forward and local player to a WHL Standard Player Agreement.
Horon, 16, was acquired by the Hurricanes Wednesday from the Everett Silvertips in exchange for a sixth round draft pick in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.
He was a ninth round draft pick (190th overall) by the Silvertips in the 2016 Bantam Draft.
This season, Horon has registered nine goals and 22 points with the Lethbridge midget AAA Hurricanes.
NOTES — Zane Franklin Giorgio Estephan Igor Merezhko Tate Olson, Michael Horon