It took just 38 seconds of overtime to propel the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 5-4 win and a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven WHL playoff series with the Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday.
Calen Addison was the overtime hero, beating Rebels goalie Riley Lamb with a point shot on the power play capping off a crazy game.
“The heart has settled down now, but obviously it was really going there,” Hurricanes Assistant Coach Andrew Doty said. “Really exciting game. Intense game. Really just an emotional roller coaster and it was a lot of fun and awesome to come out on top.”
This was by far the wildest game the ‘Canes have played so far in the playoffs. Game three went back and forth all night.
The Hurricanes went out front three separate times, but the Rebels kept clawing back.
The ‘Canes led 3-2 with eight minutes left in the third period, when Captain Jordy Bellerive snapped a shot past Rebels Goaltender Riley Lamb to put the ‘Canes up 4-2. It looked like that might be the clinching goal, but a minute later the Rebels started mounting a comeback when forward Grayson Pawlenchuk scored to get Red Deer within a goal.
In the final minute insanity ensued. The Rebels went on the power play with a chance to tie it up. Reese Johnson backhanded a puck on net, it trickled over the back of ‘Canes Goaltender Logan Flodell, who jumped backwards and swept the puck off the goal line with his blocker. The all-world stop was named ‘WHL highlight of the night’.
It was a spectacular save, but the Rebels kept up the pressure. With 47 seconds left Kristian Reichel hammered a one-timer past Flodell to force overtime. The Hurricanes started the extra session on the man advantage, where they’ve been nearly automatic in the playoffs. Less than a minute into overtime Calen Addison rocketed a slap shot past Lamb to secure the win for the ‘Canes.
“I mean that’s what we wanted to do, stay real tight and take a shot from the top and it was awesome to see it find its way to the net,” Doty said. “It was fantastic to see it go in. Just so excited for the guys.”
The Hurricanes power play has gone to other-worldly levels in the post-season. The game-winner Tuesday night was the ‘Canes ninth power play marker in just three playoff games. The team has gone 9/13 on the man advantage, terrorizing the Rebels when they head to the penalty box.
“Well I think it’s just about having a lot of different options on the power play,” Doty said. “We’ve got lots of guys that can make plays and shoot. It’s hard to defend all of those options at the same time. Everybody is clicking right now… (We have) a lot of weapons which makes it really tough for the other team.”
In addition to Addison and Bellerive, Taylor Ross, Zachary Cox and Brad Morrison also scored for Lethbridge, while Flodell turned aside 25 of 29 shots.
The Hurricanes are now just one win away from advancing to the second round of the WHL playoffs.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is set to take place Wednesday night in Red Deer.