By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter with files from Arielle Zerr - CJME News

Stuart Skinner rock solid in game one win over Pats

Apr 21, 2017 | 11:25 PM

REGINA – First blood in the Eastern Conference Championship series goes to the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

While the visitors turned in a solid all-around effort in a 3-1 win in game one against the Regina Pats Friday night (Apr. 21), Hurricanes’ netminder Stuart Skinner was the clear standout for his team, stopping 36 of 37 shots on the evening.

After surrendering a goal to the speedy Austin Wagner on a breakaway just 1:10 into the contest, Skinner completely locked things down – especially in the first when Regina came out as the stronger team.

Skinner’s counterpart at the other end of the rink, Tyler Brown, was also sharp in the opening period – turning aside quality chances from the Hurricanes’ top line of Egor Babenko, Tyler Wong and Giorgio Estephan – to hold the 1-0 lead going into the second.

After giving up another breakaway just eight seconds into the next period – and requiring a bail-out from Skinner – the ‘Canes would really start to come alive.

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Estephan tied the score 1-1 at the 13:23 mark of the second, driving a one-timer past the blocker of Brown, off a slick backhand pass from Babenko in the corner.

The momentum carried into the third for Lethbridge, who wouldn’t need much time to pull ahead… that is, after Skinner had to stop another partial-breakaway seconds into the period, this time from Sam Steel – the leading scorer in the WHL during the regular season.

While on a power play about a minute later, Zak Zborosky – returning to the line-up from an undisclosed injury, along with Zane Franklin – fired the puck on net, and Jordy Bellerive banged in the rebound through a mass of bodies crashing the crease.

The ‘Canes did get a break a few minutes later, as what initially appeared to be a second goal from Wagner was waved-off, after a review showed the net had been knocked off it’s moorings moments before the puck crossed the line.

Estephan would add his second of the night on an empty netter late in the game to put the nail in the coffin.

Following the game, Lethbridge Head Coach Brent Kisio, discussed his club’s tentative start, and how they turned things around.

“We know how good they are, and we probably gave them a little bit too much respect off the start,” said Kisio.

“I think we were a little bit intimidated,” he added. “Once we started pushing back a bit and actually started skating, we had a hockey game.”

As for Skinner – who was awarded first star of the game – he chose to deflect some of the attention, noting a number of blocked shots by his fellow ‘Canes in key situations.

“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my teammates out in front of me, I mean, I can always count on my guys blocking shots for me… the guys in that dressing room, they’re all warriors,” Skinner stated to the assembled media. “We’re all a family in there and we would do anything for each other. We’d die for each other.”

He also discussed his mindset after giving up the early go-ahead goal.

“It’s a long game, especially in our last series [against Medicine Hat], a couple [goals] have come quick and then we’ve always come back and we’ve won, there’s confidence in that. So, I think just staying calm, not getting too worried, not getting too down and not getting too high, I think just staying even keel.

“Playoffs is a different game, you never know what’s going to happen.”

Game two goes Saturday night (Apr. 22) in Regina, before the series shifts to Lethbridge for two games on Tuesday (Apr. 25).