If Ty Edmonds keeps making saves like he did Friday and linemates Brogan O'Brien and Jesse Gabrielle continue their climb up the WHL scoring charts, the much-improved Lethbridge Hurricanes could be hard-pressed to reach their objective on the ice tonight at CN Centre.
Edmonds was nothing short of spectacular Friday night in Kelowna while making 30 saves to preserve a 2-1 victory for the Prince George Cougars over the Rockets. After allowing three goals on 14 shots in 20 minutes of action before Edmonds was replaced in a 6-1 loss, the 19-year-old from Winnipeg stole the show in Kelowna.
"It was a great bounce-back for him," said Cougars head coach Mark Holick. "He was just OK in Kamloops and we made the change to get some momentum, being down 3-0 after one period. To me, that's a reaction you want to get to come back and redeem yourself. He's a guy who's had success against Kelowna, here and there, and for us that's a good sign."
If Edmonds gets the start tonight (7 p.m.) the Hurricanes will facing trying to score on a goalie whose .941 save percentage is third-best in the WHL. He also sports a stingy 2.00 goals-against average.
Lethbridge will be bringing some significant firepower. LW Brayden Burke ranks sixth in the WHL scoring race with four goals and 22 assists for 26 points in 14 games and RW Tyler Wong isn't far behind, 10th overall with 14 goals and 22 points. C Giorgio Estephen is also in the top-20 with 20 points. The Hurricanes have scored 61 goals, fourth-best in the WHL.
Scoring has been sporadic this season for the Cougars (7-6-0-0), whose 35-goal total through 13 games is the second-lowest in the league. But lately, 18-year-olds Gabrielle and O'Brien have been frequent net-fillers.
Friday night in Kelowna in a 2-1 win over the Rockets, Gabrielle scored his fourth shorthanded goal of the season to open the scoring on a breakaway pass from O'Brien, who notched the winner in the third period. In the past six games Gabrielle has six goals and eight points and Boston Bruins draft pick leads the Cougars in scoring with 10 goals and 14 points. In the last five games, O'Brien has four goals and six points and Holick says he's drawing attention from NHL scouts.
"He's really doing the right things and playing the game the right way," said Holick. "He's not afraid to take pucks to the net. He's got good size and uses his body in a way to protect pucks and give him that extra time to make plays. He's got good hands, he's a good skater, good brain and guys are taking notice. I've had a lot of questions from NHL guys about him and his play of late."
Like the Cougars, the Hurricanes are starting the see the results of a prolonged retooling project after years as bottom feeders in the league. Lethbridge cleaned house in December 2014 and hired Peter Anholt as GM and he now has ex-Calgary Hitmen associate Brent Kisio in place as head coach. With 10 wins already this season the Hurricanes are halfway to matching their entire win total from 2014-15, when they went 20-44-5-3. After missing the playoffs six straight seasons, Lethbridge (10-4-0-0) ranks fourth overall in the Eastern Conference and is well on pace to end that postseason drought.
Lethbridge got bombed 7-3 Friday night in Kamloops and also lost 5-3 in Kelowna on Saturday. That came on the heels of consecutive wins, 4-3 in overtime Tuesday in Victoria and 6-2 Wednesday in Vancouver.
The Cougars, who lost 6-1 Friday in Kamloops, ended their four-game nine-day roadtrip with a 2-2 record.
The Hurricanes might be wise to avoid scrapping with Cougars defenceman Josh Anderson and winger Colby McAuley. Tomas Soustal and Riley Stadel of Rockets learned that lesson on the hard way Friday night in Kelowna when they were both injured in first-minute fights against the Cougars' tough guys. Eighteen seconds into the game, Anderson tangled with Soustal and with one punch to the face Anderson knocked him off his feet. Soustal had his helmet off and fell backwards on his head. McAuley and Stadel went at it 46 seconds in and after a fairly even fight, Stadel left the game. Neither Rocket played in Saturday against Lethbridge.
LOOSE PUCKS: Cougar D Tate Olson (upper-body injury) will miss his fourth straight game and C Jansen Harkins (illness) is a doubtful starter... Cougars forward prospects Jackson Leppard and Liam Ryan helped Team BC win the bronze medal at the Western Canadian Under-16 Challenge Cup in Calgary. B.C. skated to a 7-2 win over Saskatchewan Sunday. Alberta won gold, defeating Manitoba 3-0.
