Midget AAA Hurricanes strike first
CANES TOP ROYALS IN GAME 1 OF AMHL SOUTH DIVISION FINAL; TOUGH SERIES EXPECTED
The Lethbridge midget AAA Hurricanes and the Calgary Royals just offered a preview of what’s to come for the next two games. At least. The Hurricanes doubled up the Royals as Game 1 of the best-of-five Alberta Midget Hockey League South Division final hit the ice Sunday afternoon at Nicholas Sheran Arena.
Lethbridge broke up a 1-1 tie early in the third and added what looked like the insurance marker to go up 3-1 with 2:14 to go, only to have the Royals come roaring back to pull within one with a little under two minutes to go.
But with the Royals pressing with the extra attacker in the last minute, the Canes were able to draw a tripping call with nine seconds remaining, allowing Lethbridge’s Zack Stringer to bury his second of the game with one second to go.
Post-game, the consensus was simple, expect more of the same the series goes on.
“It was everything that we expected,” said Hurricanes head coack Mike Dyck. “I thought it was fast. They’re a quick team, they play fast and so do we. It was a great playoff game and a great way to start the series.”
Hurricanes leading scorer Ridly Greig opened the scoring for the Hurricanes and drew an assist on Stringer’s first goal that stood up as the winner.
“It was probably the fastest game I’ve played in this year,” said the prospect of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. “It was really fast-paced. We finished our chances. It was really physical, we got lots of bumps and bruises, but I’m just happy to come out with the ‘W’.”
After earning a bye in the first round of the playoffs thanks to their first-place finish in the South Division, the Hurricanes defeated the Calgary Flames in four games in the South semifinal.
Meanwhile the Royals — who placed fifth in the tight South Division where six points separated fifth from first — took out the third place Calgary Buffaloes in the first round and toppled the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs in four games in the South Division semifinal. The Chiefs finished the regular season tied with the Hurricanes.
“This is what has given them success, beating two good teams to get here,” said Dyck. “They’re not going to change a thing. They play hard and they play fast. It should be a great series.”
The Hurricanes held a 1-0 lead after the first period on Greig’s goal, but the Royals drew even with 7:55 left in the second when Andres Bridgewater was able to break in off the left wing and beat Canes goaltender Carl Tetachuk high to a 1-1 tie after 40 minutes.
Calgary cranked up the pressure late in the second period and kept the Canes hemmed in their zone in the final minute, but Lethbridge retook the lead early in the third when Dylan Nevil finished off a close-in chance for a 2-1 lead.
With time winding down, Stringer finished off a nice feed from Greig with a little over two minutes remaining. The Royals pushed back once again. With goaltender Jack McNaughton racing to the bench for the extra attacker, Calgary cut the lead to one with 1:49 to go on a goal from Dominic Turner.
The Royals continued to press with the extra man, but Stringer’s lastsecond goal sealed the win and the 10 series lead.
“I thought they took over in the second period,” said Dyck. “We wanted to respond and getting a goal in the first five minutes, you get rewarded for your effort and that was great that we were able to keep rolling from there.”
Nicholas Draffin and Kadyn Chabot each had two assists for the Hurricanes, while Tetachuk stopped 23 shots.
Game 2 goes Wedneday in Calgary at 7:30 p.m. with Game 3 returning to Nicholas Sheran Arena Friday at 7 p.m.
In the North Division final, the Edmonton Knights of Columbus Pats and the Leduc Chrysler Oil Kings were playing in Game 1 Sunday night.
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