This is the one and only meeting this season between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Spokane Chiefs.

In 2011-2012, the Hurricanes hosted the Chiefs on December 4th and came away with a 1-0 win. The game was scoreless through 40 minutes before former Canes Captain Cam Braes (assist: Macoy Erkamps) scored the game winner on a 3rd period powerplay goal. Former netminder Liam Liston sealed the win with his 38 saves. The game also featured 3 penalty shots being called, with Lethbridge being denied twice and the Chiefs once.

December 4th: Lethbridge: (1) Spokane: (0)

Powerplay – Lethbridge: 1/3   Spokane: 0/3

Shots – Lethbridge (18)           Spokane (38)

The Hurricanes are entering tonight’s game after a 4-1 loss to Tri-City which dropped their record to 2-3-0-0 on the season. The Canes sit 5^th in the Central Division and 9^th in the East Conference while the Chiefs with a record of 3-1-0-0 are 2^nd in the US Division and 5^th in the West. Friday night, the Hurricanes gave up the 1^st goal for the 5^th straight game and for the 3^rd time this season the opposition scored in the first two minutes. Tri-City opened the scoring at 1:35 when Parker Bowles re-directed a shot past Ty Rimmer. The Canes would get a few chances but Eric Comrie would shut the door on everything the Canes threw his way. The Americans would make it a 2-0 lead when Connor Rankin scored on their second powerplay of the game and would take that lead into the 1^st intermission after narrowly outshooting Lethbridge 10-8. The Hurricanes would cut the deficit in half just 6 minutes into the second period when Sam McKechnie (assists: Joel Topping, Spencer Galbraith) would bury his 3^rd of the year behind Comrie as he scooped up the loose puck and fired it home.  Any momentum the Canes had didn’t last long as the Americans restored their two-goal lead just 56 seconds later when Justin Feser beat his former teammate high glove side. The Canes would get a few more chances to cut into the lead once again but Comrie stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced as the Canes trailed 3-1 through 40 minutes. The 3^rd was the Canes best as they outshot the Americans 17-7 but they couldn’t find a way to put any more pucks behind Comrie. Tri-City added a late PPG as this one ended 4-1 in the Ams favor despite being outshot 37-28. The Canes were 0/2 on the PP while Tri-City was 2/4.

2012 – 2013 Stats:

Points (4) – Russ Maxwell

Goals (3) – Sam McKechnie

Assists (2) – Russ Maxwell, Macoy Erkamps, Graham Hood                

PIM’s (23) – Spencer Galbraith                              

Plus/Minus (+2) – Macoy Erkamps

Overall Powerplay: 4/28 (14.3%) Rank: 21^st                 Road Powerplay: 3/17 (17.6%) Rank: 15^th                                             

Overall Penalty Kill: 8/24(66.7%) Rank: 20^th                Road Penalty Kill: 2/9 (77.8%) Rank: 15^th

Top Scorers – Lethbridge:

Russell Maxwell: 2G, 2A – 4 points

Sam McKechnie: 3G, 0A – 3 points

Jaimen Yakubowski: 2G, 0A – 2 points

Graham Hood: 0G, 2A – 2 points

(2 others with 2 points each)

Top Scorers – Spokane:

Mitch Holmberg: 7G, 2A – 9 points

Brenden Kichton: 2G, 5A – 7 points

Mike Aviani: 4G, 1A – 5 points

Dylan Walchuk: 0G, 4A – 4 points

Milestone Watch:

Ty Rimmer – is playing in his 100^th career regular season WHL game; 1 shutout shy from 10 in his career

Brady Ramsay – 4 points shy of 50 for his career

Graham Hood – hit the 100 career point milestone with 1 assist vs. Kootenay on September 29th

DID YOU KNOW?:

- Follow the leader: The Lethbridge Hurricanes named 20-year old forward Graham Hood the 22nd Captain in Hurricanes history this week. Hood follows in the footsteps of three of his former teammates – Brody Sutter, Cam Braes (2011-2012), Mike Reddington (2010-11) and Carter Bancks (2009-10) who have worn the “C” during his time in Lethbridge.

- CSS Says:  Central Scouting released its “preliminary watch list” for 2012 and two Lethbridge Hurricanes will be heavily scouted this season. Defenceman Adam Henry (who is sidelined until January with a heart condition) and rookie Forward Axel Blomqvist are in the preliminary rankings. Henry finished with 21 points (4G, 17A) in 60 games last year while Blomqvist had 46 points in 38 games with Rogle J18 last season. 

COMMUNITY CORNER:

EXCLUSIVE for Season Ticket Holders: This season we’re introducing the Perfect Attendance! We want to reward our Season Ticket Holders for their perfect attendance. If their season ticket is scanned for every home game during the Hurricanes 2012-2013 regular season, they will be entered in a draw to win a free season ticket in 2013-2014.

On Thursday, October 11^th, from 4:30 – 6:30pm, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are joining All-In Crushing and Finning Canada for the 1^st Annual “Crushing for Ca$h” fundraising event. Those attending the event are invited to team up and help raise money for the United Way Community Fund. For $1 dollar a minute you can help smash poverty. 10 cars and demolition tools will be provided by All-In Crushing and raffle tickets will be sold for the right to push the button on the portable crusher. Hurricanes players will be on hand to meet their fans and also get a chance to crush some cars as well.

Every Friday home game throughout the season is also “Food Bank Fridays”.  Be sure to bring a non-perishable food item for the Lethbridge Food Bank. Also look for the Food Bank on the concourse and be sure to enter your name into draw for a weekly prize (winners announced during the game) Help us help the Food Bank on October 12^th, 19^th, and 26^th.

Next up: The Hurricanes return home to start a lengthy homestand in which they’ll play 6 straight on home ice starting with a game against the Prince Albert Raiders on October 9^th. Game time will be at 7:00pm and you can tune in to 94.1 CJOC starting at 6:30 to hear the pre-game show with Pat Siedlecki and Fred Jack.

(Photo Credit: CanesCast)