Despite entering the third period of Game 4 in a 2-2 tie, the Lethbridge Hurricanes offence couldn’t find another goal as the Moose Jaw Warriors advanced to the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs in just four games.
That makes back-to-back first-round sweeps for the ‘Canes, leaving the team searching for answers heading into the summer.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” head coach Brent Kisio said after the 5-2 loss.
“I think we’re all tired of shaking hands on home ice after four games, so that has to stop right away. There’s going to be a lot of work put in this offseason.”
The ‘Canes managed their first lead of the series in Game 4, when the puck caromed to Tyson Zimmer in the slot. Zimmer caught Connor Ungar out of position to open the scoring.
But the Warriors returned fire when Brayden Yager put in his own rebound after hitting the post.
Moose Jaw grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second, but a Brayden Edwards win in an offensive zone draw with a little more than one minute left in the frame allowed Chase Pauls to find Hayden Smith in the slot for the equalizer.
But the Hurricanes couldn’t take advantage of any momentum they gained heading into intermission.
Warriors forward Lynden Lakovic and captain Denton Mateychuk each hit the scoresheet with a goal, then an empty net marker sent the ‘Canes into the offseason with a 5-2 loss.
“We were right there and let it slip in the third (period),” said ‘Canes forward Cole Shepard. “I felt we were right there a lot of times in this series, (like) in the first game and losing in double overtime.
“We needed to put together a 60-minute effort and it wasn’t there tonight.”
The Game 4 shot totals were even at 30 per side, but the Hurricanes continued struggling to convert those shots into goals.
The club’s top five regular season scorers — Shepard, Jett Jones, Tyson Laventure, Tyson Zimmer and Logan Wormald — combined for six points in the series and were minus-18 as a group.
“The details are so much more important and I thought we lacked them at a lot of times, and it cost us. Definitely want a few of those back,” Shepard said.
“We had our breakdowns in certain periods and that cost us throughout the series,” said forward Jett Jones.
It’s those lessons Kisio wants his team to take with them into the summer.
“Playoffs is a whole new level of hockey, physicality and compete — what it takes to win. Our group’s still learning about that,” Kisio said.
“I think this year Moose Jaw had some experience there and they played the right way.”
As the Hurricanes look to improve on their playoff growing pains next season, they’ll do it without three members of the 2022-23 roster.
Over aged players Jones, Shepard and goaltender Bryan Thomson have graduated from the WHL after Wednesday’s loss.
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