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Hurricanes squander two goal lead in rare loss

Mar 10, 2017 | 11:58 PM

CALGARY – In a game that meant much more to the home team than the visitors, the host Hitmen topped the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-3 in Calgary.

While the Hurricanes have had a playoff spot locked-up for some time now, the Hitmen are desperately fighting for wins, and entered Friday night’s (Mar. 10) contest three points out of the second Wild Card spot in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

You probably wouldn’t have known that four minutes into the game though.

The Hurricanes raced out to a quick two goal lead, with Giorgio Estephan and Tanner Nagel finding the back of the net while most fans were still getting settled into their seats.

Calgary would respond in similar fashion early in the second period, firing two past Canes’ netminder Stuart Skinner while on the power-play in the first six minutes. With a minute left in the middle frame, Estephan scored his second of the night on the man advantage, however, the lead would be short lived, as the Hitmen would again tie things up with only two seconds left on the clock.

Calgary’s Jaydon Gordon picked up the only goal of the third five minutes in, icing the victory and pulling the Hitmen within one point of Saskatoon for a playoff spot.

The loss marked just the third regulation setback for the Hurricanes in their last 27 games.

While it doesn’t exactly mean dire consequences for Lethbridge, it does put them four points back of Medicine Hat – who crushed Edmonton 9-3 – for first place in the Central Division. Both teams have just four games left on their regular season schedules, including two against each other next weekend. The first will go March 17th in Lethbridge, with the second set for the 18th in Medicine Hat.

As for Friday night’s combatants, they will play round two of their home-and-home weekend series on Saturday (Mar. 11), with the Hitmen visiting the ENMAX Centre.