Lethbridge Hurricanes push for a spot in the post-season.
It’s crunch time for the 'Canes to get into playoffs.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes open a two-game home stand Wednesday night as they host the Calgary Hitmen. The teams have split a pair of games, so far, this season with the road team winning both contests.
That would point the advantage arrow in the direction of the Hitmen, a slumping team trying to turn its season around.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” said 'Canes head coach Brent Kisio. “We’ve played a couple games against them and they’ve been hard-fought battles. They’re a good hockey club that’s fighting for a playoff spot.”
The Hurricanes currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, nine points ahead of the eighth -place Hitmen, who just went 0 for Manitoba last week, losing twice in Winnipeg and then again in Brandon.
The top eight teams earn a spot in the playoffs.
“We’re always thinking about the post-season,” said Hurricanes co-captain Jett Jones. “We have boards in the room to keep it in the back of our minds. Right now, it’s crunch time.”
The Lethbridge Hurricanes practice on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023
BIG POINTS
The 'Canes have 17 games left in the regular season and five of those are against the Hitmen.
“As a team we’re going to approach this as a series” said Jones. “There will be big points coming down to the end of them getting into playoffs and where we find ourselves.”
Lethbridge goaltender Bryan Thomson agreed with his teammate. “It’s the final playoff push so we want to rack up as many points as we can and we’re all pretty excited to do that,” said Thompson.
The Hurricanes don’t have a lot of post-season experience. The club was swept in the first round by the Edmonton Oil Kings last season and because of the COVID pandemic the two WHL playoffs before that, in 2020 and 2021, were cancelled.
It’s a similar story across the rest of the hockey league, says Kisio. “There’s a lot of us without playoff experience, [so it's] kind of an even playing field there,” said Kisio. “Last year, we got a little bit [of playoff experience] and hopefully we can go for a good run this year and get a little more and gain that experience back.”
The 'Canes' push for playoffs continues Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre. It was also supposed to be Hurricanes hockey card night, but Wednesday afternoon, they tweeted that the event has been postponed to Feb.24.
Puck drop is 7 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Guilty: Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes
Donald Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
'I didn't think it was real': Oilers fans score free Game 4 tickets from stranger
There's always something to be happy about when the Edmonton Oilers are making good strides in the playoffs, but this is especially true for two lucky fans who were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Game 4 — for free.
Aurora borealis returning to night skies across Canada this Friday: NOAA
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Man stabbed in both legs with a machete in Times Square
A man was stabbed in both legs with a machete at New York's Times Square on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.