Lethbridge Hurricanes eager for five-game B.C. road trip
Junior hockey players are no strangers to long road trips riding on a bus, but the Lethbridge Hurricanes leave early Wednesday for an especially long five-game stretch to British Columbia.
"I think we're preparing the best we can with the long bus trip and just staying healthy and just being ready for the long road trip ahead of us," said defenceman Will Sharpe.
The trip will see the 'Canes head as far west as Victoria and work their way back east toward Alberta.
Head coach Bill Peters believes his team is ready for the long haul.
"It comes at a good time and it sets up well. We can leave tomorrow and get out there. Obviously, there's a little bit of travel involved. It's spread out. It's a good trip." he said.
After a hot start to the year, the 'Canes have cooled off, posting a 5-4-1-0 record over the past 10 games.
Peters wants to see the team get back to the way it was playing before.
"I thought we had a bit of a foundation we were starting to establish and it kind of went away for a bit. Now, we're in the process of re-establishing it," he said.
Miguel Marques, who is from Prince George, B.C., is excited for the opportunity to play in front of family and friends.
"It's kind of been circled on my calendar for a bit, going home, getting to play in front of family and friends, so it'll be pretty sweet. Even there in Vancouver and stuff, I lived with billet families and lots of friends I played hockey with down there, so it'll be pretty sweet," he said.
While it may be fun to see family and friends, the 'Canes know they have to stay focused while on the road.
"I think the guys are already really motivated. We've got a lot of guys from B.C., so everyone's really excited to go play in front of their families. But also, you know, just taking it day by day, practice by practice. Kind of the memo right now,” said goalie Harrison Meneghin.
The Hurricanes' first game on their B.C. road trip is Friday against the Victoria Royals.
Lethbridge hockey fans won't see the 'Canes in person again until Nov. 29, when they play against the Calgary Hitmen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

opinion As Trump burns through cash, powerful Republicans are rallying behind a surging candidate
With less than 50 days until Republican voters begin the process of determining their nominee to take on President Joe Biden, political analyst Eric Ham writes about a storm brewing within the GOP -- as super-donors align behind a surging candidate who could pose a threat to frontrunner Donald Trump.
4 in custody after 'brutal' death of Quebec entrepreneur, partner in Dominica
Four people are in police custody after Quebec businessman Daniel Langlois and his partner Dominique Marchand were found dead in Dominica.
Speaker Fergus apologizes, faces calls to resign over 'personal' video played at Ontario Liberal event
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized to MPs on Monday about a 'personal' video tribute message played this weekend at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention, but two opposition parties say that's not enough and are now calling for him to resign over his 'unacceptable' participation in a partisan event.
Canada's grocery retail sector one of the most competitive on Earth: Sobeys CEO
The top executive at Sobeys asserted on Monday that Canada has one of the most competitive grocery retail sectors on the planet -- even as Canadians continue to feel the bite of higher prices.
Escaped kangaroo found safe after 3 days on the loose in Ontario
A kangaroo that escaped the Oshawa Zoo during a one-night stay last week has been recaptured after more than three days on the loose.
CBC says it is cutting 600 jobs, some programming as it slashes budget
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Radio-Canada will eliminate about 600 jobs and not fill an additional 200 vacancies. The cuts at CBC come days after the Liberal government suggested it may cap the amount of money CBC and Radio-Canada could get under a $100 million deal Ottawa recently signed with Google.
Canada issues updated travel advisory for Guyana due to border dispute referendum in Venezuela
The Canadian government is warning against travelling in Guyana near the border with Venezuela due to a weekend referendum that saw Venezuelans asked about the future of an of oil-rich region that is the centre of a territorial boundary dispute.
Driver arrested after nearly hitting pro-Palestinian demonstrator in Victoria
A driver was arrested in Victoria on Sunday after nearly hitting a protester with a car during a pro-Palestinian rally outside the B.C. legislature.
Short-term rentals have 'significantly impacted' housing affordability: Desjardins
A Desjardins report suggests short-term rentals likely contributed to the housing affordability crisis in Canada and around the world.