A Russian import growing accustomed to the North American game is a welcome sight for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
First-year Russian Egor Zudilov notched his second and third goals of the season to lead the Hurricanes to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen, Friday night at the Enmax Centre.
After a hot preseason, the slick skating Russian struggled in the opening stretch of the WHL season, even earning a spot on the healthy scratch list.
As of late, he has looked more like the player the Hurricanes expected when they selected him in the first round of the 2017 CHL Import Draft.
“It’s hard for him,” said Canes Head Coach Brent Kisio following the contest. “He comes over here, he doesn’t know the language, but he’s getting more comfortable and you can see that in
his play.”
Zudilov opened the scoring just 2:46 into a wild first period, tipping home a Brady Pouteau shot through the five hole of Hitmen netminder Matthew Armitage.
Calgary evened it up on the power play six minutes later, in a near carbon copy of the Canes goal, with Vladislav Yeryomenko scoring his second of the season.
Hurricanes killer Matteo Gennaro scored less than two minutes later, again on the power play for a 2-1 Hitmen lead.
Jordy Bellerive continued his hot play for Lethbridge, tying the game on shot off a defenceman’s stick and over the shoulder of Armitage.
Gennaro struck again minute later, finishing a tic-tac- toe passing play with Jakob Stukel and Jake Kryski, but Calen Addison tied it yet again, only 30 seconds later to send the period into the
break knotted at three.
After the last shot wins excitement of the first, both teams clamped down in the second, with neither team finding the net. Both Armitage and Stuart Skinner made several key stops to send the game into the third tied.
The final frame started out like the second, but finished like the first. Zudilov notched his second of the game, taking a breakaway pass from Jake Elmer and beating Armitage low stick side.
The lead was short lived as Andrei Grishakov poked a puck home past Skinner after the netminder made a breakaway save off Luke Coleman just two minutes later, setting up a hectic final 10 minutes.
Ryan Vandervlis notched the game winner with a power play tally at 13:16 on a scramble in front of the Hitmen net.
Just 30 seconds later a scary incident occurred when Lethbridge’s Tanner Nagel was hit from behind by Andrew Fyten. Nagel went to the Hurricane’s dressing room, but did return, while Fyten received a five minute major and a game misconduct.
Lethbridge effectively nullified their own power play, taking three straight penalties. Despite a last minute push from the Hitmen, Lethbridge managed to hang on for the win.
Lethbridge improves to 7-5- 0-0 on the season, while the Hitmen drop to 4-9- 1-0.
Kisio was not happy with his team’s play early, but was pleased to see that his squad was able to regroup enough to take the two points.
“We didn’t come out playing the way we’re capable of,” he said. “Our energy wasn’t where it needed to be.”
Kisio stressed a more straight forward approach in between periods and his team responded. “We were trying to be too pretty, too cute,” he said. “We were able to get better as the game wore on.”
The Hurricanes next face the defending WHL Champion Seattle Thunderbirds at home Sunday, while the Hitmen host those same T-Birds Saturday.
