(Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Hurricanes top Tigers 4-3 in Toque and Teddy Toss game

Dec 9, 2024 | 12:33 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes made the teddy bears and toques fly on Friday, December 6, 2024, as they took down the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-3.

The Hurricanes came into the game with some momentum, after snapping a six-game losing streak on the previous Tuesday against the Moose Jaw Warriors.

In the first period, the Tigers got the scoring started early, with Oasiz Weisblatt netting his 13th goal of the season just 3:09 into the frame.

The Hurricanes had chances throughout the period, putting up 10 shots and multiple high-leverage scoring chances, but could not beat Jordan Switzer in the opening frame. Hunter St. Martin added his own goal with 21 seconds left to make it 2-0 for Medicine Hat.

In the second period, the Hurricanes took the momentum from there, killing off the remainder of a penalty they were assessed at the end of the first.

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After a couple more prime scoring chances, fortune finally showed its face 3:23 in, as Leo Braillard took a pass from Brayden Yager in the slot, wiring it past Switzer for his 11th of the year to make the bears and toques fly,d sending the crowd of 5,392 into a frenzy.

Braillard was very excited to be the one to score the goal.

Over 4,200 teddy bears and over 1,000 toques were tossed onto the ice following the goal, all to be donated to kids at the Chinook Regional Hospital, and other charities around southern Alberta.

(Photo: LNN)

Leo Braillard after scoring the Toque and Teddy Bear toss goal. (Photo: LNN)

Kathy Hong, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Hurricanes spoke on the importance of an event like this.

Braillard’s teddy bear goal served as a launchpad for the Hurricanes’ offense, as they took over the game after that.

At the 7:17 mark of the period, Noah Chadwick, in a nearly identical goal to Braillard’s, took a cross-slot pass from Yager and buried it for his seventh of the season. Logan Wormald added the secondary assist.

Just 36 seconds later, Wormald added his own goal to give his team the lead, as Tristen Doyle rushed into the Tigers zone and fed Wormald a beautiful pass that he one-timed past Switzer. Vojtech Port also had an assist on the goal, his second point with Lethbridge.

Hurricanes goaltender Jackson Unger was dialed in for the second period as well, turning away all 15 shots from the second-best offense in the entire WHL.

In the third, they continued their momentum further, as Braillard continued his night in the spotlight, stripping the puck from a Tigers defender and tucking it past Switzer for his second goal of the contest. Yager was credited with his third assist of the night on the eventual game winner.

For a majority the rest of the period, the Hurricanes stood strong, until Matthew Ward trickled a shot past Unger with just four seconds left to go. However, it would not be enough, as the Hurricanes downed their rivals 4-3.

For his big night, Braillard was given the game’s first star. Yager’s three-assist game got him second star honours and the Hardest Working Hurricane award, while Wormald was named third star.

The team will look to extend their winning streak to three games on Wednesday, December 11, when they host the Saskatoon Blades. Puck drop is at 7.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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