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Calgary Hitmen

Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Tuesday, November 3 at Saskatoon

November 3, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


CALGARY HITMEN (8-7-0-1, 17 pts.) at SASKATOON BLADES (7-5-3-0, 17 pts.)

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015 - 6:05 p.m. MT - SaskTel Centre

TONIGHT'S GAME

The Calgary Hitmen (8-7-0-1) open a two-game Saskatchewan road trip tonight in Saskatoon against the Blades (7-5-3-0). The Hitmen are coming off Sunday's 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Seattle Thunderbirds at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Trailing 2-0 and 3-1, Calgary rallied with Jackson Houck netting the game winner with 3.9 seconds remaining. Houck also added a pair of assists for a team-leading three points. Travis Sanheim, Radel Fazleev and Mark Kastelic rounded out the Hitmen scoring. Cody Porter made 18 saves to record his first win since being acquired from the Vancouver Giants. The Hitmen sit third in the WHL's Central Division at 17 points, three points back of the second place Lethbridge Hurricanes. Saskatoon is fourth in the East Division with 17 points, two points back of the Moose Jaw Warriors for third.

HITMEN BROADCAST INFORMATION

Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com

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STREAKS

- Jackson Houck (2g, 3a), Travis Sanheim (1g, 2a), Radel Fazleev (2g) and Jordy Stallard (1g, 1a) are all riding two-game point streaks.

NOTEWORTHY

VS. SASKATOON: Tonight is the first of four regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Blades. The contest also marks the first time Calgary will face former Hitmen forward Terrell Draude following the Oct. 27 trade that saw the 18-year-old head to Saskatoon in exchange for a 2016 fifth-round bantam draft pick. Calgary won three of the four games against Saskatoon last season. Over the past five seasons, the Hitmen are 10-5-0-1 against the Blades including a 6-2-0-0 mark in Saskatoon. The two teams won't face each other again until Sun., Nov. 22 in Calgary for what will be the first of two games in four days, with the return match back in Saskatoon on Wed., Nov. 25.

2014-15 RECAP: REGULAR SEASON SERIES - Nov. 4/14 at SAS: CAL 4 SAS 1 ... Adam Tambellini led the Hitmen with three points (2g, 1a). - Nov. 16/14 at CAL: CAL 4 SAS 1 ... Micheal Zipp had 1g and 1a as Calgary fired 51 shots. - Feb. 8/15 at SAS: CAL 5 SAS 2 ... Keegan Kanzig had a goal, an assist and was plus-4. - Feb. 13/15 at CAL: SAS 4 CAL 4 ... Cameron Hebig had a goal and two assists while Nik Amundrud made 35 saves.

2014-15 RECAP: INSIDE THE SERIES: - Shots on Goal: CAL 155 SAS 97 - Power Plays: CAL 2-15 (13.3%) SAS 2-19 (10.5%)

CAPTAIN COLBY: On Oct. 29, the Hitmen named Colby Harmsworth the 23rd captain in franchise history. Travis Sanheim and Micheal Zipp have been appointed alternate captains for the 2015-16 season. Harmsworth, a shutdown defenceman, is the longest-serving Hitmen having appeared in 181 career regular season games, recording 37 points (seven goals, 30 assists) and 74 penalty minutes. He is also a career plus-49. The 20-year-old took home the TELUS Coaches Award last season and was co-recipient of the team's NSD Sports & Fitness Club Players' Choice Award. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan product was originally selected by the Hitmen in the third round, 54th overall, in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.

JAKE STAKE: On Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks announced they are keeping former Hitmen forward Jake Virtanen for the rest of the NHL season. The 19-year-old, who appeared in his first NHL game on Oct. 13, recorded his first NHL goal last night against the Philadelphia Flyers. Through nine games, he has averaged 10:08 of ice time per game and also has two assists.

DID YOU KNOW?: The Hitmen are the fourth most penalized team in the WHL, averaging 15.5 minutes per game.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY: Calgary has already played 10 road games or 27.7 percent of their entire road schedule for the season. They share the league-lead in road games played with Brandon and Spokane. Following this road trip the Hitmen will play six of their next seven games at home.

FAZ'S FRIENDS: The Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club has announced details on a new community program, Faz's Friends presented by MEG Energy. The initiative will see Hitmen centre Radel Fazleev and MEG Energy partner with Kids Cancer Care, a charitable organization that helps families fighting childhood cancer in Alberta. Throughout the season, several families will receive tickets to attend a Hitmen home game, custom Faz's Friends t-shirts and Scotiabank Saddledome concession vouchers. Following the game, the Faz's Friends guests will meet the Hitmen forward for photos and autographs. The program will see close to 200 Kids Cancer Care guests benefit this season.

VARIETY: Tonight is Game 17 of Calgary's 72-game regular season schedule. It comes against their 12th different opponent.

WHO'S NEXT?: Calgary's eight game-winning goals have been scored by eight different players.

PROSPECT WATCH: Hitmen prospect Tristen Nielsen scored two goals and added an assist at the 2015 Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup, helping Team Alberta win the gold medal on Nov. 1. Three other Hitmen prospects also played in the event: Jake Davidson (Team Saskatchewan), Noah Geekie (Team Manitoba) and Layne Toder (Team Manitoba). Geekie and Toder both won silver medals.

HITMEN VS: (BDN 1-0), (EDM 0-0), (EVT 0-0), (KAM 1-0), (KEL 0-1), (KTN 2-0), (LET 0-0), (MH 0-1), (MJ 0-2), (POR 0-0), (PA 0-0), (PG 0-2), (RD 1-0-0-1), (REG 2-0), (SAS 0-0), (SEA 1-0), (SPO 0-1), (SC 0-0), (TC 0-0), (VAN 0-0), (VIC 0-0).

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