LETHBRIDGE – The Hurricanes, for the first time since 2009, are going to the postseason. After playing and losing to the Calgary Hitmen 6-2 on Wednesday, Lethbridge got some help from a Swift Current Broncos loss.
Swift Current, ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference, suffered a 4-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades, mathematically guaranteeing the Hurricanes’ participation in the playoffs. Despite the news coming out of a loss, Coach Brent Kisio is clear in saying he thinks his club earned it.
“We have 40 wins, so I think we did do it on our own terms, we just lost a game on that night,” Kisio said. “We got through to playoffs obviously by a team losing, but when you win 40 games, you’ve done it on your own terms, and I’m proud of our group for that.”
Lethbridge is not only ending its seven-year slump, but doing so by being the first team in the WHL to clinch postseason berth. But the end of the regular season is still 14 games away, and the team plans to use that time to remain atop the Central Division, which it leads by eight points.
“We want to win to win our division, that’s the main thing. We want to get home ice and we want to win our division,” Kisio explained. “It’s going to be a close race with us, Red Deer, and Calgary obviously, but it’s attainable and we’re in a good spot right now. But we’ve got to take care of business a little bit here.”
The team is indeed in a good spot, as it will now play four of the next five games at the Enmax Centre. Lethbridge heads into Friday night’s game hosting the Portland Winterhawks and previously winning 25 of 29 home games this season.
“We’re the best team on home ice and I think anywhere we play we can be the best team regardless of where we are, whether we’re home or away,” Captain Tyler Wong said.
The Hurricanes will head to Calgary on Saturday before beginning a three-game home stand on Wednesday against the Regina Pats.
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