The Lethbridge Hurricanes continued their hot start to the 2024-25 Western Hockey League (WHL) regular season but suffered their first loss by the weekend’s end.
On Friday, September 27, the club welcomed the Swift Current Broncos to the VisitLethbridge.com Arena., securing a big 6-3 victory.
The evening was extra special, as the team celebrated Indigenous culture during the themed night. ‘Oh Canada’ was sung in a mixture of Blackfoot and English and the City of Lethbridge’s ‘Oki’ video was played ahead of the game – which will be a regular staple going forward for the WHL team.
READ MORE: Lethbridge Hurricanes close out Reconciliation Week with celebration of Indigenous culture
In front of over 3,200 fans, the ‘Canes went down 1-0 at the 14:36 mark following a goal from Swift Current’s Sawyer Dingman.
The home team responded at 4:36 of the second, with Kash Andresen scoring his first of the season, off assists from Hayden Pakkala and Kooper Gizowski.
The Broncos would score twice more before the end of the second period, with Luke Mistelbacher scoring both goals. Lethbridge had a steep hill to climb going into the third and final frame of the Friday night match-up.
The home team stepped up, scoring five goals in the period and preventing Swift Current from scoring any goals of their own.
Kooper Gizowski scored at 1:10, off assists from Brayden Edwards and Will Sharpe. Leo Braillard recorded his second goal of the season at 2:44, with Edwards and Logan Wormald dishing out the assists. Miguel Marques got on the board with his first goal of the season at 7:12, thanks to another assist from Edwards and team captain Noah Chadwick.
At the 11:16 mark, Kash Andresen scored his second of the night short-handed, off an assist from Trae Johnson.
For good measure, Brayden Edwards recorded another point, scoring his first of the season on an empty net at 17:10. Marques and Tristen Doyle earned the assists.
Edwards was named the first star of the game with one goal and three assists. Andresen earned second star honours with his two goals, and Swift Current’s Luke Mistelbacher was named the third star of the game with two goals.
SUNDAY BATTLE WITH THE HITMEN
On Sunday, September 29, the Hurricanes were in Calgary against the Hitmen. Lethbridge was unable to keep their win streak going, suffering a 3-1 loss.
Ben Kindel scored his first of the season for Calgary at the 4:38 mark, with Carson Wetsch scoring at 16:47 on the power play to put the home team Hitmen up 2-0 going into the second period. The second saw no goals, but in the third period, Oliver Tulk scored his first of the 2024-25 campaign on a power play to put Calgary up 3-0.
Lethbridge’s Leo Braillard scored on the power play at 9:50, with assists from Brayden Edwards and Logan Wormald to make it 3-1, but it was not enough as Calgary skated away with the win at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Wetsch, Kindel and Tulk were named first, second and third stars of the game, respectively.
UP NEXT
The Hurricanes are back in action on Friday, October 4. They will be on home ice hosting the Moose Jaw Warriors.
With an early season record of 3-1-0-0, Lethbridge sits in second place in the WHL Eastern Conference. The club’s record has them sitting in first in the Central Division.
