On a night when the Lethbridge Hurricanes needed their best players to be the best players, they did just that. Dylan Cozens, Calen Addison, and Logan Barlage combined for five points, but it wasn’t enough as the high flying Saskatoon Blades mounted a third period comeback, thanks to Jayden Wiens and Scott Walford, to snatch away a 3-2 victory.
The game got off to a high paced start with both teams finding their legs early, playing nearly four and a half minutes without a whistle. It was the Blades that broke through first as a spin-o-rama shot found its way past Bryan Thomson. Zach Huber’s first of the season made it 1-0, with assists on the play going to Aidan De La Gorgendiere and Libor Zabransky.
The Hurricanes responded late in the period on a power play opportunity. Cozens ripped home his fourth of the season from Calen Addison and Dino Kambietz. This game went into the break tied at 1-1.
The second period was a parade to the penalty box for both teams as the play got a little chippy. It was the goalies who stole the show, though. There were no goals scored in the second period thanks to the 14 saves from rookie goalie Koen MacInnes and seven from Thomson.
Logan Barlage put the home team ahead early in period three with a power-play goal at just 42 seconds into the frame. Cozens showed some great vision to find Barlage for the tap-in goal. Addison was credited with the second assist. It seemed the Hurricanes were in control throughout much of the period, but they could not find a way to hold on.
The Blades then got back-to-back goals just 14 seconds apart. First, it was Wiens who recorded his first WHL goal with an assist from Jerzy Orchard. Then, a Walford blast — his fourth of the season — found its way into the net from Kyle Crnkovic and Nolan Kneen. That gave the visitors a 3-2 lead late. The Hurricanes pulled Thomson for the extra-attacker, but the attempt to tie came up short.
Final shots read 38-22 in favor of Lethbridge.
Shooting the breeze: For the second straight Hurricanes home game, the opposing goalie was the first star of the game. MacInnes, in his first WHL start, recorded 36 saves for the win. Thomson, who had 19 saves, suffered his first loss of the young season. Dylan Cozens with another two-point night was the game’s second star. With the game winner, Scott Walford was the third star.
The Blades power play went 0-for-5 on the night, while the Hurricanes managed to score both their goals on the man advantage that went 2-for-5.
Next up for the Blades is a trip to Prince Albert to face the rival Raiders, while the Hurricanes will host the Portland Winterhawks. Both of those games are on Friday night.
