Lethbridge Hurricanes send T-Birds to fourth straight loss

Seattle committed too many mistakes in a 5-2 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Enmax Center for its fourth straight defeat.

BY ANDY EIDE

Nov 6, 2015, 9:47 PM Updated: Nov 7, 2015, 10:19 am

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The Thunderbirds’ misery on the road continued Friday night with another frustrating loss.

Seattle committed too many mistakes in a 5-2 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Enmax Center for its fourth straight defeat. Two former T-Birds made their mark on the game as Cory Millette scored a goal and Carter Folk added a couple of assists. Much like Wednesday night, the T-Birds didn’t play with enough jump and got caught out of position or flat-footed too often and paid for it.

The T-Birds fell behind for good early in the second period and seemed to run out of gas as they were playing their fifth game in seven nights. Along with the struggles on defense they could not generate any consistent pressure on the offensive side.

Things actually started well for Seattle as it got a lead for the first time on its current road trip. Killing a penalty three minutes into the game, Alexander True stole the puck at the Seattle blue line and was off to the races. He moved in on Hurricane goalie Stuart Skinner and beat him easily.

The Hurricanes would answer right away on the same power play, though, when Egor Babenko fired a loose puck past Logan Flodell from the slot.

Seattle managed to finish the first in decent shape but the wheels fell off in the second.

Less than a minute into the second period Ryley Lindgren easily moved past the Seattle defense to beat Flodell from in close. Three minutes later Millette skated around the zone without any protest from the T-Birds defenders and found the net from the circle.

That would be the end of the night for Flodell who ended the game allowing three goals on 13 shots. He was replaced by Taz Burman.

The T-Birds would get one goal back in the second when Jamal Watson, playing his first game against his former team, forced a turnover deep in the Hurricanes zone. The puck went to True who fed Ryan Gropp to cut the lead to 3-2.

Seattle gained some momentum from the Gropp goal but another bad period start would give it right back to Lethbridge. Just over a minute into the third the Hurricanes won a puck battle in the corner and Tyler Wong found Giorgio Estephan all alone in the slot for an easy score.

From there the T-Birds were skating in sand. The toll of a frustrating road trip seemed to take effect and they were unable to generate any offense to get back in it.

Arvin Atwal would put them out of their misery late with a power-play goal to seal the deal for the Hurricanes, who were looking to end a three-game losing streak of their own.

The T-Birds will try to stop the bleeding Saturday night as they play their last game of the road trip in Medicine Hat against the Tigers.

Notes

• When Seattle beat Kootenay last Saturday it had a nine-game streak of not allowing more than two goals in a game. They have allowed four or more in the last four games, all losses.

• Jerret Smith left Wednesday’s game in Edmonton in the first period with a shoulder injury. He was back in the lineup Friday but Seattle was still playing without Scott Eansor.

• The win for Lethbridge ended a seven-game losing streak against the T-Birds.

• Watson picked up an assist in this first, and lone, game against his former team. Seattle acquired him this summer in a trade for Millette.

Follow Andy Eide on Twitter @andyeide.