Tuesday night the Lethbridge Hurricanes erased a two goal deficit for the second straight game, as they knocked off the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-2. The ‘Canes fought their way back with two second period, and three third period goals to win game three. The Hurricanes are now in a good spot, leading the best of seven series 2-1.
“Even though they got up a couple goals, I thought we out chanced them at the start,” Hurricanes Captain Tyler Wong said. “That’s the way it goes sometimes. The weaker team, the one that doesn’t come out hardest might pot a lucky one. That’s what happened tonight, but we stayed cool and composed like we have in the playoffs this year.”
The Hurricanes trailed 2-0 midway through the second when their offence exploded for two goals in just over a minute. First it was ‘Canes forward Jordy Bellerive snapping a shot past Tigers goaltender Michael Bullion. Shortly after that Hurricanes forward Giorgio Estephan beat Bullion through a screen on a power play, sending the over 4, 500 in attendance to their feet.
The ‘Canes would take their first lead early in the third period when Captain Tyler Wong buried a loose puck to make it 3-2 Hurricanes. Midway through the final frame Estephan would put the game away when he turned and fired a slap shot past Bullion to give the ‘Canes a 4-2 lead.
Estephan is approaching other worldly levels of dominance in the post season. The Hurricanes forward is averaging two points per game in the playoffs and is leading the entire WHL in scoring, with 16 points in eight games.
“I just want to win,” Giorgio Estephan said. “I’m excited to come and play every day. My line mates and everyone on the ice has been impeccable.”
The Hurricanes needed their big guns to play well in game three, because they were once again missing several key players. Forwards Matt Alfaro, Zak Zborosky, Zane Franklin, along with defenceman Calen Addison were all out of the lineup for game three.
“We obviously had some new additions in the line-up and full credit to our guys,” Hurricanes Head Coach Brent Kisio said. “No one put their head down today. We knew it was going to be a bigger challenge today. I thought our guys did a great job.”
The Hurricanes leaned on their Goaltender Stuart Skinner in the game three win. The Edmonton native turned aside 36 of 38 shots on the night, and shut the Tigers down in the third period, stopping all 14 pucks fired in his direction.
“I heard this when I was a kid,” Stuart Skinner said. “It’s always zero, zero, so I try to play that way. Never get too high, or too low, especially in playoffs.”
It was a big win for the Hurricanes, but the team must quickly turn its attention to Game four. The Hurricanes and Tigers battle again Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Enmax Centre.
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