Lethbridge Hurricanes defenceman Nolan Bentham, who is from Victoria, had about the sweetest night one can imagine against his hometown club. The Racquet Club product scored twice as the Hurricanes defeated the Victoria Royals — who traded him away — 5-1 in a WHL game Tuesday night before 2,259 fans at the Enmax Centre in Southern Alberta.
The six-foot-three rearguard came as a touted home-Island product to the Royals as the 13th overall selection in the first round of the 2018 WHL prospects draft. The going was slow, however, and he was dealt in 2021 to the Hurricanes for a second-round selection in the 2024 WHL prospects draft.
“Nolan is a good person and a good player and I’m happy for him,” said Royals GM and head coach Dan Price, who orchestrated the trade.
Carter Dereniwsky scored the lone goal, on the power play, as the Royals fell to 3-11-2 and the Hurricanes improved to 7-8. Tyler Palmer made 31 saves in goal for Victoria and Harrison Meneghin 30 for Lethbridge.
The score was 1-1 after one period before the ʼCanes blew the game open with three unanswered goals in the second.
“We did not capitalize on our first-period chances and let the Hurricanes get their legs under them,” said Price.
The game was the fourth of Victoria’s six-game road swing through the Eastern Conference Central Division, its first such trip since before the pandemic, and which stands at 1-3.
“I saw tired mistakes out there, but that’s not an excuse,” said Price.
“Late in long road trips you have to play simpler.”
The swing concludes in NHL rinks tonight in Calgary against the Hitmen (6-4-2) and Friday in Edmonton against the defending WHL champions but now last-place Oil Kings (1-12-1).
