CANES host Cougars
Cougars hold off Canes 2-1
Hurricanes were looking to break a five-game winless streak last night at the Enmax Centre
Despite some late chances that set up an exciting finish, the Lethbridge Hurricanes fell just short of the win, losing 2-1 to the Prince George Cougars in Western Hockey League action Friday night at the Enmax Centre.
The teams did all their scoring in the first period before the Canes buzzed hard in the third with 16 shots that led to some great chances which forced Cougars goaltender Ty Edmonds to put in a first-star worthy performance with some key saves to secure the victory for the visitors.
The game also featured some key special teams with both sides each killing off a five-on-three with the Hurricanes killing off a 1:47 twoman disadvantage late in the second.
The loss leaves the Hurricanes winless in six games with a 5-7-1-1 record as the team gets ready to host the Red Deer Rebels tonight at 7 at the Enmax Centre.
“I thought our period wasn’t great,” said Hurricanes general manager Peter Anholt, who is filling in for head coach Brent Kisio while Kisio is at the U17 World Hockey Challenge in Sault St. Marie along with Canes defenceman Calen Addison, forward Josh Tarzwell and video coach Andrew Doty. "But then I thought as the game wore on, especially after the five-on-three kill, I thought that gave us a lift.”
Jansen Harkins gave the Cougars an early 1-0 lead before Giorgio Estephan’s power-play goal midway through the first — his fourth of the season — tied things up at 1-1.
The Hurricanes almost went up 21 on another power play with a little under six minutes left in the first, but defenceman Kord Pankewicz's point shot rattled off the inside post behind Edmonds and stayed out.
The Cougars retook the lead when Bartek Bison scored on a scramble for the eventual game-winner. The play went upstairs for a video review and was eventually ruled a goal.
Lethbridge was given a two-man advantage 1:42 into the third, but were unable to net the equalizer.
The hosts later hit another post on another power play as Estephan’s shot found iron and stayed out.
Edmonds then delivered with some key saves down the stretch to give Prince George the win.
At the other end, Hurricanes goaltender Stuart Skinner had a 26save night.
“I thought Stuey really gave us a chance tonight,” said Anholt. “But when
you haven’t been playing overly well and you have some chances, we just didn’t capitalize on those chances. But you know what? You have to play better over a long period of time to get breaks and we need to continue to play better. It’s going to be challenge tomorrow night.”
The Hurricanes look to snap their six-game winless skid tonight with the Rebels beckoning.
“Something to build on tonight,” said Anholt. “I
think we did a lot of good things as the game wore on. I really thought (Jadon) Joseph’s line (with Zane Franklin and Tanner Nagel) was really good. They were the stars, for me, because of how well they played and the energy they gave us.
“I thought a guy like Ethan King did a great job for us and ate up some ice. We just have to keep pounding away at the door and hopefully we can have a more consistent game
tomorrow for 60 minutes.”
NOTES — The Hurricanes announced Friday they had suspended defenceman
Brady Reagan indefinitely for violating team rules. Also on Friday, the Canes acquired blue-liner Ty
Prefontaine from the Calgary Hitmen for a seventh-round pick in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. The 1999-born defenceman was in the lineup for Friday’s game.