PIVOTAL playoff game
Hurricanes, Tigers tangle in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series last night with the series tied 1-1
The Lethbridge Hurricanes erased another 2-0 deficit with five unanswered goals and as a result have a series lead.
The Hurricanes downed the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-2 in Game 3 of the teams’ Western Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinal series Tuesday night at the Enmax Centre for a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 hits the Enmax Centre ice tonight at 7 p.m.
With the likes of Zak Zborosky, Matt Alfaro and Calen Addison still out of the lineup along with Zane Franklin, Ryan Bowen and Koltrane Wilson also missing Tuesday’s game, the Canes threw affiliates Dylan Cozens, Jayden Davis and Connor Lyons into the mix.
But late in the game it was the big guns who entered the mix once again as Canes captain Tyler Wong scored on the power play 4:04 into the third for what stood as the game-winner before Giorgio Estephan made it 4-2 and veteran defenceman Brennan Menell added an empty-netter with 1:02 remaining to round out the scoring.
“We obviously had some additions to the lineup and a full effort to our guys,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio. “They put their heads down. We knew it was going to be a bigger challenge. We’re playing a very good hockey club in Medicine Hat, a real deep club, and with some new additions we had to step up tonight. I thought our guys did a great job. They battled hard all night. Again, we fell behind, but we’re not going to give up and that’s what you saw tonight.”
Much like Game 2, it was the Tigers that held a 2-0 lead as James Hamblin scored in the first and Mark Rassell added another 8:39 into the second.
“It’s the third time in this series, I think we’re getting used to it,” said Kisio. “It’s been the way this season had gone. We’ve had some ups and downs and had adversity. It’s something we’re used to and we keep pushing.”
Much like Game 2, it was a quick pair of Canes goals that tied it as Jordy Bellerive cut the Tigers lead in half at 12:13 of the second before Estephan struck 1:04 later for his first of two on the night and the first of two Lethbridge power-play goals.
“We played really well coming into the later part of the game,” said Estephan. “I feel like they got a couple of lucky ones early and we definitely bounced back like we did last game. It was definitely a good team performance and I’m happy with how we locked it down.”
With his three-point outing Estephan — named the WHL and CHL Player of the Week — has 16 post-season points to lead the league.
“I feel like I just want to win and I’m excited to come and play every day,” said Estephan. “My linemates and everyone on the ice has been impeccable. Stuart makes the save and we turn the other way and have been pretty good on the transition lately. It’s nice to pot a few on the power play. We were struggling in the first series.”
After giving up the first two goals, Canes goalie Stuart Skinner put up at 36-save performance.
“It was a great game, we definitely came out hard,” said Skinner.
“I think our first period went really well. We responded really well. They got two on us and I think, as always, we show character and heart, especially in the last five minutes of the game. We really battled today and I think we deserved the win.”
Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston said his team had an OK start.
“Obviously we preferred being up 2-0. I thought we played a bit tentative after that. I thought the Hurricanes were really on their toes and playing aggressive and confident and I thought it was hard for us to get the mindset to get on the attack. I thought the start of of our third period was really good. It’s something to build off of for tomorrow.”
Kisio remained mum on the status of the injured players Tuesday night.
No matter when their return, the Hurricanes will look to the existing roster to ideally put them up 3-1 in the series before heading back to Medicine Hat Friday.
“We have a lot of good hockey players,” said Kisio. “We were a deep team and we still are a deep team. It’s just some different faces in the lineup. But we have a good goaltender in Stuart Skinner and then our top guys are absolute horses. Estephan, Wong and Menell, you couldn’t ask for more.”
“Our room is pretty happy right now and we’ll enjoy it, but then we’ll reset and refocus. We know tomorrow is a big game. We’ve been on that side of it and we know how that feels and we know what we have to do to come out and try and find another way to win. It’s going to take a lot more than tonight, tonight was hard. Tomorrow is going to take more.”