Midget Canes rally for win

TEAM SHRUGS OFF SLOW START AGAINST NORTH DIVISION LEADERS

Once their last line of defence got dialed in, the Lethbridge midget AAA Hurricanes liked their chances.

Ultimately, it turned into a win as the Canes edged the Fort Saskatchewan Boston Pizza Rangers 4-3 in Alberta Midget Hockey League play Sunday afternoon at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

The win caps a 2-0 weekend following a 7-1 decision over the Lloydminster Bandit Energy Bobcats Saturday that improves Lethbridge to 15-3-0.

On Sunday, it took some comeback hockey from the hosts to secure the win as the North Division-leading Rangers jumped to a 3-1 lead after the first period.

But after giving up three goals in the first, Hurricanes goaltender Cole Tisdale shut the door the rest of the way, including stopping a penalty shot on Jacob Boucher in the second before denying Alex Thacker on a two-onnothing shorthanded breakaway later in the period.

In the third, leading scorer Michael Horon completed the comeback with his second of the game.

“It was just being patient,” said Hurricanes head coach Doug Paisley. “I like the resilience of this group. There’s an expectation in that room. Our leadership group really sets the tone and there’s no panic. I didn’t like the start. We can bellyache about calls both ways, that’s fine. I didn’t love Cole’s first period, I thought he wanted one back, for sure. But then he just shut the door in the second and you knew Cole was good to go. He calmed down, he was out further and his hands were out further. He just made the adjustment he needed to make and then the boys made the adjustment. We got a couple power plays in the second and found a way to get it done in the third and sealed it out.”

The Rangers jumped out to a quick 20 lead, including a shorthanded goal for their first tally of the afternoon before Lethbridge’s Matt Vogelaar cut that lead in half midway through the first.

But Fort Saskatchewan added one more before the first was over for a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes.

The Hurricanes pulled to within one on a power play goal from Dylan Nevil early in the second.

Then Tisdale went to work, first stopping Boucher on a penalty shot chance and then bailing out his teammates on a turnover on the man advantage and turning away Thacker on a two-on-nothing breakaway.

After the next whistle, the Hurricanes tied it up with Horon’s first of the game and Lethbridge’s second power play goal of the afteroon.

“There was a couple shots from the seam, their power play, they look from across the seam and they got a couple plays,” said Paisley. “Cole was able to get across and get pieces of those. Obviously, the breakaway stands out huge on the penalty shot and the twoon-none was even bigger because in that situation, that’s a critical time. I like that he just settled down. He’s athletic, he gets out, sets the puck out for the D and clears the puck when we need him. You can’t underestimate how important his contribution was in today’s win.”

Horon netted the winner early the third and Tisdale improved his record to 8-1-0 on the season.

“I just had to get the past goals out of my head and focus on being better and challenging the puck instead of staying back like I was and being able to make those saves when I need it to,” said Tisdale.

The two biggest, of course, being the penalty shot and the shorthanded breakaway.

“It builds the confidence and then you have to get focused for the next faceoff,” said Tisdale.

The other half of the Hurricanes goaltending tandem, Brayden Peters, was still up with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League after getting the call up Thursday.

The 16-year-old puckstopper signed with the Hitmen Tuesday and was the backup in the Hitmen’s 5-1 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors Sunday afternoon in Calgary.

The Hurricanes have two more home games to round out December.

They host the Edmonton Knights of Columbus Pats Dec. 15 before a showdown of the South Division leaders when the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs come to town Dec. 16.

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