Wong sparks surging ’Canes
Veteran targets 50-goal season
Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Tyler Wong is making the most of his last Western Hockey League season.
Wong, 20, scored five goals and added five assists in four games for the Hurricanes en route to being name WHL Player of the Week on Tuesday.
“It was a good little week for me. We had a few high-scoring games, so I was able to put up some points,” Wong said. “I definitely got lucky there.”
The Hurricanes are currently second in the Central Division standings, six points back of the Medicine Hat Tigers and eight ahead of the Red Deer Rebels.
They have won three of their past four games, including a pair of victories over the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Their only blemish last week was a 6-5 shootout loss to the Prince George Cougars.
“We made some deals at the deadline, so it’s good to get the new guys into the lineup and get them accustomed to the way we play,” Wong said. “Hopefully, we can heat up for the stretch run, peak at the right time and hopefully go on a long playoff run.”
The Hurricanes were among the busiest teams prior to the last week’s trade deadline. The defending Central Division champs added five players, including over-agers Zak Zborosky and Matt Alfaro, 18-yearold defencemen Brady Pouteau and Kyle Yewchuk, and 19-yearold forward Alec Baer.
The Hurricanes have the Tigers in their sights and want to make up the difference with 26 games to play.
Wong is expected to be a key figure for the Hurricanes down the stretch. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Swift Current Broncos, the Cochrane product has 33 goals and 66 points in 43 games.
Last season, Wong became the first member of the Hurricanes to reach the 40-goal plateau in over a decade. His bar is set a little higher this year.
“My goal right now would be to hit 50,” Wong said.
PATRICK NAMED TOP PROSPECTS CAPTAIN
Centre Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings has been named a captain for the Sherman Williams Top Prospects game, along with Nico Hischier of the Halifax Mooseheads. The game takes place on Jan. 30 in Quebec City and features the top 40-draft eligible players from the CHL.
Patrick, 18, has played just eight games this season due to an upper body injury, but had two goals and two assists in his return to the lineup Friday in an 8-5 win over the Kootenay Ice.
Patrick is projected to be the No. 1 selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
HART NAMED WHL GOALIE OF THE WEEK
Fresh off backstopping Canada to a silver medal at the World Junior Championship, Carter Hart was named the WHL goaltender of the week on Tuesday.
Hart, 18, posted a shutout in a 4-0 win on the road against the Kamloops Blazers on Friday, making 22 saves.
He then made 36 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds. It’s the third time this season he’s earned the weekly honour.