Ty Rimmer made 37 saves as his Lethbridge Hurricanes shutout the Swift Current Broncos 4-0 on Tuesday night.
The loss was the 5th for Swift Current in their last 6 games. They've only scored 5 times in their last 5 games, while Lethbridge has now put up 18 goals over their last 4 games.
Full Coaches Show“We were definitely turning the puck over way too many times,” said Broncos Assistant Coach Jamie Heward. “In this game we were doing it about 14 times a period... it should be limited to around the 5 or 6 mark. If you can do that you're going to get a lot more offensive opportunities, you're going to get the puck in their end.”
Swift Current went 0 for 5 on the power play and are 1 for their last 19 on the man advantage.
“I think we're trying too hard to make that pretty play,” Heward said. “There's a lot of times where certain teams don't give up a lot down low or up the middle so you've got to take shots... if you can't make a skilled play you've got to certainly get it at the net and get a lot of shots. Try and keep it as simple as you possibly can until you can make that skilled play.”
Full HighlightsThe Broncos fell behind early as Sam Mckechnie found a rebound behind Eetu Laurikainen to give Lethbridge a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes despite being outshot 12-8. Laurikainen allowed 4 goals on 26 Lethbridge shots.
Spencer Galbraith then banked a puck in off a Bronco stick to make it 2-0 early in the second. It was still a competitive game with the teams trading chances before the Hurricanes pulled away with goals by Jamal Watson and Russell Maxwell to wrap up the period.
The Broncos created several good chances early in the third period, but Rimmer shut the door and snuffed out any hopes of a comeback.
“I think the guys have to realize that getting back to a structured game is going to help us the most,” Heward added. “The games where you beat as Saskatoon 10-1, those aren't going to happen. It might have given us more of a negative confidence boost than anything else. It got us away from out identity. I think we've lost that the last little while (of) playing really physical against teams coming into your building. Once you lose that identity it's hard to get it back unless you work hard.”
The coaching staff talked to the Broncos about drifting away from the style they need to play and maybe getting the idea they are more of a skilled team than they are.
“Mark (Lamb) said we are a good team but we are not that good yet,” Heward said. “We are not the super offensive, super skilled team. The identity has to stay the same, but the talent level is up from last year. You need to combine both of those... we just have to get back to what we do best.”
The Broncos will have to try to right the ship on the road as they visit the Kootenay Ice on Friday and have a re-match with the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Saturday. You can hear all the games on The Eagle 94.1 FM with The New Pioneer Co-op Home Centre Broncos Hockey.
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Fri, Apr 26, 7:00 PM
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