In a game of ebb-and-flow, the middle part of three distinct team advantages was enough for the Lethbridge Hurricanes to win.
The Canes answered an opening Saskatoon goal in the first period Saturday with four in a 16-minute span from the final minute of the opening frame through to near the end of the middle stanza…and that turned out to be enough for a 4-3 Lethbridge victory over the Blades in front of 4,243 fans at SaskTel Centre. The result allowed the Hurricanes to avoid losing all four games to the Bridge City Bunch this season and ended a five-game head-to-head losing streak to the Blue and Gold. All four games this season were decided by one goal.
The Blades did battle back to make a game of it in the third period, but couldn’t squeeze an equalizing marker past Lethbridge goaltender Carl Tetachuk. The victory was the 30th of the season for the Canes and moved them into second place in the Central Division, a point ahead of idle Medicine Hat.
For Saskatoon, Kyle Crnkovic scored twice and Colton Dach notched his eighth of the season as the Bridge City Bunch out-shot Lethbridge 29-21…the ninth straight game in which the Blue and Gold, now 25-20-4 for the season, has out-shot the opponent. The Blades are off until Wednesday when they welcome the Regina Pats and their first visit of the season to Saskatoon. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Lethbridge Hurricanes 4 at Saskatoon Blades 3 – Status: Final
Saturday, February 1, 2020 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Lethbridge 1 3 0 – 4
Saskatoon 1 1 1 – 3
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 13 (Fasko-Rudas, Wouters), 5:51. 2, Lethbridge, Davis 13 (Cozens, Cotton), 19:07 (PP). Penalties-Stringer Let (tripping), 3:47; Kucerik Sas (high sticking), 9:18; Okuliar Let (tripping), 10:17; Wiens Sas (hooking), 14:41; Daley Sas (tripping), 18:20.
2nd Period-3, Lethbridge, Barlage 18 (Hall, Stringer), 0:28. 4, Lethbridge, Davis 14 6:25 (SH). 5, Lethbridge, Wilson 6 (Prefontaine, Nash), 15:08. 6, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 14 19:07. Penalties-Schneider Sas (tripping), 2:22; Wheatcroft Let (cross checking), 4:45; Dorrington Let (major-fighting), 7:53; McKay Sas (major-fighting), 7:53; Barlage Let (roughing), 8:23; Maier Sas (goalie, ineligible p), 12:35; Wilson Let (cross checking), 19:24.
3rd Period-7, Saskatoon, Dach 8 (Huber, McKay), 1:30. Penalties-Prefontaine Let (holding), 13:44.
Shots on Goal-Lethbridge 6-10-5-21. Saskatoon 10-10-9-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Lethbridge 1 / 5; Saskatoon 0 / 6.
Goalies-Lethbridge, Tetachuk 17-8-1-5 (29 shots-26 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 16-15-1-2 (21 shots-17 saves).
A-4,243
Referees-Jason Bourdon (20), Adam Byblow (23).
Linesmen-Riley Carriere (72), Tanner McGregor (55).
