Canes headed to round two
In ever-so-slightly adrenaline-pumping fashion, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are secondround bound in the Western Hockey League playoffs.
The Hurricanes defeated the Red Deer Rebels 6-4 in Game 5 of the teams’ opening round WHL playoff series Saturday night at the Enmax Centre to take the series 4-1 and head to round two.
Fittingly, both sides cranked up the intensity level in the third period as the Rebels nursed a 3-2 lead into the final 20 minutes. The Canes struck for four final period goals to seal the series after the Rebels forced Saturday’s game with a 5-2 win in Game 4 Wednesday in Red Deer.
On Saturday night, 20 minutes removed from a trip back to Red Deer for Game 6 Sunday, the line of Taylor Ross, Dylan Cozens and Jordy Bellerive went to work as Ross scored twice, including the game-winner while overage forward Brad Morrison capped off a 16-point series with the empty-netter with 1:18 to go.
The Canes ultimately pumped 50 shots at Rebels goaltender Ethan Anders, outshooting Red Deer 18-2 in the second period and 18-8 in the third period.
Post game, Ross removed his game face and enjoyed the moment.
“I’m kind of a serious guy, but I think I’ll keep the smile on my face for a little bit,” said Ross, whose third period goals were his fourth and fifth of the post season.
“It’s the first time I’ve done it (advanced) in my WHL career and it feels really good. I couldn’t do it without the guys in that room.”
Like they did in the third, the teams swapped goals in the first period for a 2-2 deadlock after 20 minutes.
Morrison opened the scoring 7:08 in, but the Rebels quickly pulled even on a goal from Grayson Pawlenchuk.
Red Deer almost went up 21 when Kristian Reichel broke in and rang a shot off the cross bar.
Seconds later, the Rebels forward was hit along the boards by Hurricanes forward Zane Franklin, who was given a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct.
The Rebels went up 2-1 on the ensuing power play when Brandon Hagel sniped his fifth of the series for a 2-1 lead at the 14-minute mark.
But the Canes pulled even before the first intermission on a man advantage marker of their own as Bellerive scored with 3:52 left in the period.
The power play conversions kept up early in the second and it was the Rebels turn to cash in as defenceman Alexander Alexeyev scored his second of the post season 3:52 into the period.
Then came the nail-biting final period.
The Canes kept the pressure up early in the third and snagged the equalizer as Calen Addison took a feed from Morrison and slid a backhand past Anders to knot things up at 3-3 3:17 into the period.
Lethbridge got their second lead of the game 1:23 later when Ross drove to the net and jammed a close-in shot past Anders for a 4-3 lead.
“It was huge,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio of the quick start to the third.
“Their goalie was playing really well. We had a lot of opportunities, we just couldn’t find the net and luckily in the third period we did. It was just stick with it. I thought we were playing really well. We didn’t have to change much, (just) keep working hard and find a way to pot a couple.”
Keeping the wild start to the third period going, the Rebels pulled even on Reese Johnson’s second of the post season to make it 4-4.
But the Ross, Cozens, Bellerive line went back to work exactly one minute later when Ross tipped home his second of the period for a 5-4 lead.
Then with the final minute approaching and with Anders on the bench for the extra attacker, Morrison buried his sixth goal of the post season and 16th point that has him sitting atop the playoff scoring standings.
While the Cozens, Bellerive, Ross trio commanded the spotlight in the third, Morrison, alongside Jake Elmer and Jaden Joseph also contributed.
“Before the playoffs we were spreading out the lineup a little bit,” said Morrison.
“We have that top group with Ross, Beller and Cozens. That’s an elite group and every one of those guys are going to have a long career and obviously they’re showing that. I’ve got two great linemates with Elmer helping me out and playing with a guy who can skate like that makes it easy for me and Joseph is more of a defensive guy who can win face offs. So for myself, I’m working on playing my own game and it’s been working so far. They’ve been supporting me and getting open and it’s been good for me.”
After owning the shot clock 18-2 in the second, Bellerive said the between-periods message was to keep plugging away.
“Just keep doing what we’re doing,” he said.
“He (Anders) was getting a couple of lucky saves and a credit to him, he did play a great game. But putting up 50 shots, if we kept that pace up we knew we were going to generate a couple more and it worked out for us.”
In a series where special teams prevailed, limiting the penalty box time was also key.
“Honestly, I don’t know if it looked like it, but it seemed like we were out of the penalty box a bit more than in the other games,” said Bellerive.
“Obviously, there were a couple of big penalties, but once we stayed out of the box we generated a lot and got chances and it seemed to pay off for us.”
Ross ended the series with five goals and nine points.
“I think stuff was just going my way,” said Ross.
“You come to the rink and you do all the things you can to get prepared for games like this. There were some lucky plays. It was a good play by Belly on that last one. It was all good.”
As of Sunday night, the Hurricanes second round opponent is set.
The Brandon Wheat Kings downed the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-3 in overtime Sunday night in Brandon to win the opening-round series 4-2.
The Canes get home ice advantage in the secondround series starting with Games 1 and 2 Friday and Saturday night at the Enmax Centre. Game time is 7 p.m. both nights.
Games 3 and 4 head to Brandon April 10 and 11.
The Canes face the Wheat Kings in the playoffs for the fourth time in their history and the first time since 2008.
Lethbridge holds a 1-2 record in three series against Brandon.
Tickets for the second round of the playoffs will go on sale today at 9 a.m. and can be purchased online, by calling 403-329SEAT (7328) or by visiting the Enmax Centre Ticket Centre.
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