Hurricanes win thanks to vet

By None on September 1, 2018.

Dale Woodard

Lethbridge Herald

LETHBRIDGE

Let the game-time auditions begin.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers took that first step Friday night, kicking off their pre-seasons in a back-and-forth affair that went to overtime before the Canes snagged a 5-4 win at the Enmax Centre.

As both teams’ younger players looked to make an impression for a regular season roster spot later this month, there was a veteran presence on the home side as Hurricanes captain Jordy Bellerive scored twice including the overtime winner 24 seconds into the extra frame to earn the win in front of 1,204 fans.

“These games are always going to be a litte bit sloppy, the guys aren’t in regular season form and there are a lot of young guys in,” said Hurricanes assistant coach Jeff Hansen. “But you can’t knock the effort on either side. Our young guys really worked hard. It turned into a little bit of pond hockey at times, but it’s excting hockey to watch and it’s really good to see the young up-and-comers.”

Tigers prospect and Lethbridge native Kadyn Chabot netted the game-tying goal with a little over six minutes to go on a night where each team scored two power play goals.

Chabot was sprung on a breakaway right out of the penalty box and beat his midget AAA Hurricanes teammate Carl Tetachuk to tie it up at 4-4.

“I just got out of the box and (Dawson) Heathcote just found me,” said Chabot. “I got the breakaway and just put it five-hole.”

Chabot had a great time playing in front of his hometown crowd.

“It was a lot different than what I was used to,” said Chabot. “The first period was really fast and in the second period I thought I got used to it and just went from there.”

The Tigers struck first on a goal from Corson Hopwo, but the Hurricanes took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission on goals from Nick Dorrington and Bellerive.

Lethbridge went to the power play early in the second and moved up a pair of goals when Jake Elmer drove to the net and got a little bank action off a Tigers defender and past goaltender Mads Sogaard to make it 3-1.

The teams swapped goaltenders midway through the second as Lethbridge’s Reece Klassen gave way to Tetachuk, while in the Tigers goal, Kaeden Lane came in in relief of Sogaard.

Before the second intermission, Cole Sillinger scored on a 5-on-3, then Heathcote tied it at 3-3 16 seconds later on the second man advantage.

Lethbridge regained the lead 3:22 into the third when Kelti Jeri-Leon showed a little patience off the a faceoff to the left of the Tigers goal and out-waited Lane to make it 4-3.

It only took the Canes a little less than half a minute to drain the OT winner as Bellerive struck for his second of the night.

“I thought it was good game,” said Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston. “There was lots of action and it was fast. I thought some of our younger guys played very well. Obviously, there are a lot of players on both sides that are battling for spots, some guys won’t be here and some guys are too young to be here, but I thought it was a good game.”

The teams are back at it in the rematch tonight in Taber at 7:30 p.m.

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