HURRICANES HOST BRANDON IN GAME TWO
Big comeback overtime victory gives Canes a 2-0 series lead over the Wheat Kings
One big time comeback has capped off an emotional day and given the Lethbridge Hurricanes a 2-0 series lead.
The Hurricanes scored five unanswered goals on their way to a 5-4 overtime win over the Brandon Wheat Kings during Game 2 of the teams’ Eastern Conference semifinal series Saturday night at the Enmax Centre.
Three quick Wheat Kings goals in the span of a little over two minutes seemingly put the visitors in the drivers seat with 4-0 lead.
But a pair of Hurricanes goals late in the second and another two late in the third forced overtime.
Late in the extra session, Canes defenceman Tate Olson ended it with 3:29 left for the 5-4 win and 2-0 series cushion as the best-of-seven series now heads east to Brandon for Games 3 and 4.
On a night when players, coaches and management of both teams stood together at centre ice in a moment pregame silence in memory of the victims of Friday’s bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos that has claimed 15 lives including Lethbridge’s Logan Boulet, the win capped off a day of heavy hearts.
“It’s been a tough day,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio. “There are a lot of things going on. I’m proud of the way we came back. We kept with it and played hard. It’s an emotional day.
“We have a lot of connections and a lot of best friends. We brought a counsellor in and she did a great job helping our guys and talking to them. What do you say? It’s tragic. It’s a tough day.”
After the touching moment of silence and the puck drop, it didn’t take the Wheaties long to get on the scoresheet as Marcus Sekundiak scored his second of the series 2:53 into the game.
Then came the visitors scoring flurry to start the second as Connor Gutenberg, Stelio Mattheos and Evan Weinger scored in a span 1:32.
The Hurricanes began chipping away at the lead in the latter half of the second as Jordy Bellerive and Taylor Ross — shorthanded — scored in the last 4:34 of the second to cut Brandon’s lead to 4-2 after 40 minutes.
After a scoreless first 10 minutes of the third, the Hurricanes continued the comeback to force overtime as Bellerive scored at the 12:11 mark to pull Lethbridge within one.
Then with Brandon’s Schael Higson off for tripping, Hurricane forward Jake Elmer pulled the trigger on Lethbridge’s fifth power play goal of the series, coming in off the right wing and sifting a shot past Wheat Kings goaltender Dylan Myskiw with 2:38 remaining.
The teams exchanged chances in overtime, including Myskiw flashing the glove to rob Canes forward Logan Barlage late in the extra session.
But after that highlight reel save Olson put a shot on goal that bounced over the Wheat Kings goaltender and in for Olson’s third of the post season.
“I think the guys definitely had some people in mind tonight when they were playing the game,” said Kisio. “But I think everyone in the league is in the same boat and everybody playing hockey tonight was in the same boat. You love the the game, you play it, it’s just sad when tragedy happens.
“It’s tough right now. We lost a lot of good kids and some fathers. It’s just tough.”
An announced attendance of 4,412 took in Saturday’s emotional game, honouring the moment of silence before the game and raising the roof after Olson’s overtime winner.
“I think it was appreciation of just hockey in general, especially here” said Kisio. “It’s a community and everybody is tight and everyone helps out. We’re able to run the way we are because of the community support and how much the fans help our players out. Brandon is the same way and going to centre ice to start was a great way to show we’re a family. Playoffs are playoffs, you play against each other and it’s hard, but there’s bigger picture and when you play hockey it’s a tight community and everybody is a family at the end of it.”
Hurricanes goaltender Logan Flodell stopped 29 of 33 shots, while Myskiw kicked out 42 of 47.
Bellerive added an assist for a three-point night, while Brad Morrison chipped in with two assists that puts his post season points tally at 21 in seven games.
Olson had two assists for a three point night.
Wheat King Linden McCorrister had two assists in