Hurricanes take advantage of breaks in win over Warriors

Calvert scores a lone goal from Moose Jaw in the 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes to open the road swing in Alberta

Every now and then hockey teams at all levels have a game like the Moose Jaw Warriors had in Lethbridge on Wednesday night.

A night where you can’t find a break and have to scrape and scrape for everything while your opponent gets opportunistic bounces and opportunities and makes the most of them.

The Hurricanes did just that, scoring three goals from bounces that went their way and leading to a 4-1 Western Hockey League win.

Moose Jaw fell to 30-16-0-3 and remains fourth in the Eastern Conference, a point behind Saskatoon in third and four points ahead of fifth-place Lethbridge.

Neither team had much sustained pressure in the opening 10 minutes of the game and when the first goal of the game was scored Lethbridge needed heaps of luck.

A pass from the Warriors along the end boards went off the ref and in front of the net, with Hurricanes defender Hayden Smith firing a shot that deflected two players in front of and into the Moose Jaw net. The goal came in the 10 minute mark of the period.

Lethbridge earned another break on their second goal at 5:20 to play at half-time, this time when a puck deflected off an obviously high stick into Moose Jaw’s net. Blake Swetlikoff was credited with the marker after a video gate judge review.

It was another odd play that resulted in the Hurricanes taking a 3-0 lead. A two-for-one from Lethbridge saw Lucas Brenton put on a solid defensive play to end things, but a bouncing puck went straight to Anton Astashevich and he slammed the puck into the goal at the 5:35 mark in the second period .

The Warriors got their first power play at 5:57 to play on the second and they would finally break through. Atley Calvert lined up in his regular position in front of the net and was rewarded by tapping a shot from Denton Mateychuk from the high slot and making it a two-goal game.

That would be the last goal of the game until the final minutes of the third period, with Joe Arnsten pocketing an empty net with 1:49 left to end the contest.

WHL Goalie of the Month Connor Ungar did what he could to keep his team in touch with the Hurricanes, parrying 29 shots including two breakaways as Lethbridge tried to extend their lead. Moose Jaw product Bryan Thomson continued his solid game against his hometown team, converting 35 shots to claim the win.

The Warriors are back in action Friday night when they continue their Alberta road swing in Edmonton against the Oil Kings. Puck drop is 8pm Moose Jaw time.