Wheaties light up the Canes

BRANDON ROARS TO A 7-0 LEAD AFTER TWO PERIODS AS HURRICANES FALL TO 2-2

This time, the Lethbridge Hurricanes were on the receiving end of an 8-4 decision.

The Canes lost by that total as they travelled to Brandon to take on the Wheat Kings in Western Hockey League play Saturday night.

It looked like it could be worse for the Canes as the Wheat Kings paced themselves to a cozy 7-0 lead after two periods before the Hurricanes replied with four unanswered goals to start the third period from Taylor Ross, Jake Elmer, Dylan Cozens and Jordy Bellerive.

However, Wheat Kings forward Luka Burzan shut down any hopes for a big Canes comeback with an empty-netter that was also his fifth of the night as the Hurricanes fall to 2-2 after an 8-4 win over the Regina Pats Friday in Regina.

In Hurricanes goaltender Akira Schmid’s season debut after attending the New Jersey Devils training camp, it only took the Wheaties 47 seconds to open the scoring as Conor Gutenberg got things rolling before Burzan added his first two of five for a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Cole Reinhardt made it 4-0 Brandon 6:39 into the third and Burzan finished his hat trick bid with a power play goal with 4:12 left in the second.

The Wheat Kings weren’t finished as Linden McCorrister and Burzan — once again on the man advantage — made it 7-0 after 40 minutes.

Having pumped 28 shots at Wheat Kings goaltender Jiri Patera in the first two periods, the Hurricanes finally broke through in the third.

Ross and Elmer scored on the power play in the opening 6:56 of the period before Cozens drained his teamleading fifth of the season midway through the third.

Bellerive scored the other Lethbridge goal 1:02 after Cozens’ goal, but Burzan added his fifth of the night and sixth of the season into an empty net with 1:57 to go.

The Canes outshot the Wheat Kings 38-36 as Schmid stopped 20 of 27 shots. Backup Reece Klassen came in for 1:27, kicking out one shot.

Cozens added two assists for a three-point night. Defenceman Calen Addison added two helpers.

The Hurricanes power play went three-for-seven, while the Wheat Kings were twofor-four.

Lethbridge returns home Friday when the Prince Albert Raiders pay a visit to the Enmax Centre at 7 p.m.