But now, Unger has put behind that ugly memory and replaced them with powerful playoff ones at the Dome, allowing just one goal in two outings against the same Hitmen to start this WHL’s Eastern Conference semifinal series. Read More
Not long ago, Jackson Unger watched helplessly as stuffed animals rained down around him at Scotiabank Saddledome. That was in December during the Calgary Hitmen’s annual Teddy Bear Toss as the first of nine goals scored on him on a forgettable day in the hometown of the veteran Western Hockey League goaltender. But now, Unger has
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Not long ago, Jackson Unger watched helplessly as stuffed animals rained down around him at Scotiabank Saddledome.
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That was in December during the Calgary Hitmen’s annual Teddy Bear Toss as the first of nine goals scored on him on a forgettable day in the hometown of the veteran Western Hockey League goaltender.
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But now, Unger has put behind that ugly memory and replaced them with powerful playoff ones at the Dome, allowing just one goal in two outings against the same Hitmen to start this WHL’s Eastern Conference semifinal series.
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The latest highlight for the Calgarian came Saturday night in the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ 2-1 victory over the host Hitmen.
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The only goal Unger surrendered in staking the Hurricanes to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series came late in a tight game, when Hitmen sniper Ben Kindel beat him with a quick wrist-shot to tie the affair.
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But the goalie then watched teammate Kooper Gizowski reply with the winning goal for the ’Canes just 49 seconds later.
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Unger was particularly frugal early in Game 2, surviving an opening-period push by the Hitmen to equalize the series. He continued to stymie the hosts until Kindel’s marker — the first of the semi for the Hitmen — as part of a 33-save first-star effort.
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His counterpart was pretty good, too.
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Anders Miller, who was brilliant for the Hitmen in a first-round sweep of the Saskatoon Blades, returned to the net for the home side after veteran Daniel Hauser played in the 5-0 Game 1 loss Thursday night, also at the Dome. The young ’tender stopped 27 pucks but couldn’t keep out a nifty redirection by Brayden Edwards in the second period or Gizowski’s rebound goal with just 2:15 remaining in regulation.
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The loss puts the Hitmen in a two-game hole heading to Lethbridge for Games 3 and 4 of the series Tuesday (7 p.m.) and Wednesday (7 p.m.) at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
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Game 5, if necessary, would be back at the Dome on Friday (7 p.m.).
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