The Saskatoon Blades used a strong third period which included peppering the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ Goaltender Carl Tetachuk with 43 shots to lead them onto a 5-2 win. It was a complete team effort as five different goal scores accounted for the goals while netminder Nolan Maier turned aside 23 shots for the win.
The night started out promising for the Hurricanes when just 1:20 into the game Taylor Ross scored his 27th of the year, he drove the net and tapped in a rebound off a Noah Boyko shot to give the home side the 1-0 lead. That early goal seemed to set the tone for the game as both teams picked up the pace and it led to some back and forth where they traded chances. Ryan Hughes had the best chance for the visitors but he was stoned in the slot by Carl Tetachuk. While Maier counted that by robbing Jake Elmer on an odd man break.
Coming out of the mid-period break the Blades went to work, outshooting the Hurricanes 8-0 hemming the home side in their own end. Emil Malysjev shoveled in his third of the season past Tetachuk to tie the game.
The Blades took the lead late in the period, just 4.8 seconds on the clock and playing four on four Nolan Keen finds the back of the net of a good pass from Kirby Dach. Keen’s sixth of the season gave the Blades a 2-1 lead at the break and a 17-10 lead on the shot clock.
Business picked up in the second period as a playoff style atmosphere set in and the physical play picked up. The teams traded goals during the period. Gary Haden took advantage of a big rebound from a dump in that Tetatchuk couldn’t quite control. It was Haden’s 27th of the season and extended the lead to 3-1. The Hurricanes responded just 49 seconds later when Jake Elmer tipped in a Taylor Ross pass. Elmer’s 28th pulled the home team within one.
The Hurricanes had a great chance to tie the game early in the final period. Elmer flew down the wing and rung one off the iron on a two-on-one. On the counter attack the Blades had better luck. Riley McKay fired one into the net and gave the visitors back their two goal lead at 4-2. The marker was McKay’s 12th of the season.
Blades controlled the game from there. The frustrated Hurricane were unable to muster any grade A chances and with the goalie pulled Saskatoon iced the game. Kirby Dach found the empty net and secured the victory. It was Dach’s 22nd goal on the year. The Blades skated away with the 5-2 win and dominated the shot clock 43-25.
Shooting the breeze. With Elmer’s second period goal, he makes it five straight games with a goal. Neither team was successful on the power play. The Hurricanes were 0-2 and Blades 0-4. The loss ends the Hurricanes modest two-game win streak while the win gives the Blades seven in a row and are 8-0-1-0 in February. Despite the loss, the Hurricanes remain second in the central, They are 6-6-2-1 in their last 15 games.
Next up for the Hurricanes is a Family day matinee in Cranbrook vs the Ice. This will be the final trip to Cranbrook for Lethbridge as the Ice will be in Winnipeg next year. Blades are off till Friday, They travel to Brandon with a chance to clinch a playoff spot vs the Wheat Kings.
