By Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

Top Hurricanes players accept annual awards, down the Kootenay Ice 8-1

Mar 15, 2017 | 10:37 PM

LETHBRIDGE – A landslide 8-1 victory has put the Lethbridge Hurricanes back on track to ending the regular season on a high note. 

Wednesday (Mar. 15) night’s game, against the Kootenay Ice, started out with the 2016-2017 awards presentations at the Enmax Centre. The following ten honours were handed out to the players who do what they do best:

Fan favourite: Tyler Wong

Scholastic player of the year: Josh Tarzwell

Community relations award: Tyler Wong

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Hardest working player: Giorgio Estephan, Tanner Nagel

Top scorer: Tyler Wong

Top defenseman: Brennan Menell

Three star award: Tyler Wong

Carl Trentini memorial award (Rookie of the year): Calen Addison

Harry Ingarfield memorial award (Most valuable player): Tyler Wong

Joan Kobal memorial award (Perserverance, dedication, and sportsmanship): Stuart Skinner

Over age players Matt Alfaro, Zak Zborosky and Tyler Wong, who are coming to the end of their WHL careers this year, were also given a final salute. The 20-year olds were each presented hand painted self-portraits, as well as their own Hurricanes jerseys.

It was then time for the action to begin.

The Hurricanes made a strong start in the first frame with four goals, and only built on that momentum. Giorgio Estephan registered the game opening goal on one of five power play opportunities through the match. Alec Baer, assisted by Egor Babenko and Ryan Vandervlis, had the game winner just 4:40 later.

Stuart Skinner once again held strong throughout the second period, even in the face of two power play attempts. Cranbrook goalie Jakob Walter succumbed to two more goals mid-way through the period, from Estephan again and the other from Egor Babenko.

The tension was certainly thick heading into the final period, with the Hurricanes’ Zane Franklin and Tanner Nagel, and the Ice’s Ryan Pouliot and Barrett Sheen dropping the gloves. All four took five-minute major penalties for fighting, just four minutes in.

Colton Kroeker managed Cranbrooks’ first and only point in the third. But Vandervlis and Estephan answered back with two more goals to wrap up the night.

The 44-19-4-3 Hurricanes will take on the Medicine Hat Tigers for their final regular season home game on Friday (Mar. 17), and officially wrap up the season on Saturday (Mar. 18) at the Canalta Centre.

They’ll kick off their 2017 WHL playoffs on March 25 and 26.