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Hurricanes open playoff series against the Rebels with 6-0 shutout

Mar 23, 2018 | 10:13 PM

LETHBRIDGE –  The Rebels may have outshot the Canes 30-26, but the Canes skated away with a win in the first game of their playoff run.

There was action in the first period, but the only thing it produced was ten shots on goal for Red Deer and five for Lethbridge, along with visits to the penalty box.  At the half way point, the Rebel’s Josh Tarzwell and the Canes’ Jadon Joseph got at each other and were each assessed a two-minute minor.  The period ended scoreless.

The Canes’ opened the second frame with a penalty, leaving them shorthanded for two minutes. However, a minute later, Taylor Ross took advantage of a power play to tip one in the net, assisted by Jordy Bellerive and Calen Addison. The Canes were leading 1-0.

What followed was a series of penalties. Logan Barlage was tapped for interference with Red Deer’s goalie, the Rebel’s Brandon Hagel was nabbed for holding an opponent’s stick and the whistle blew on Calen Addison for cross checking. Some four-on-four play resulted in a goal from Tate Olson, assisted by Logan Barlage and Taylor Ross, putting the Canes ahead 2-0. Addison polished off the remainder of the period, with two more penalties for cross checking and holding.

By the time third period action was underway, it appeared the Canes used the first 40 minutes as a warm up, since they owned the last 20.

While both teams added to the spate of penalties in the third, it was the Canes who controlled the scoring.

Just before the seven-minute mark, Brad Morrison planted one between the pipes, taking the score to 3-0.  At the half-way, Jordy Bellerive added a powerplay shot to make it 4-0.

The boys weren’t finished.  Logan Barlage notched the fifth goal of the night on a power play at 15:18 and just over a minute later, Jake Elmer made it 6-0.

Six different Canes’ players contributed goals on the night, while Jadon Joseph had three assists and Jake Elmer had two.

The first star of the game went to Logan Flodell for the shutout, Jordy Bellerive got the second star and the third went to Jake Elmer.

The two teams meet at the Enmax for game two on Saturday night.