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Calgary Hitmen

Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Tuesday, October 16 at Prince Albert

October 16, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


CALGARY HITMEN (1-5-2-0, 4 pts.) at PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (10-1-0-0, 20 pts.)

Tuesday - 7:00 p.m. MT - Art Hauser Centre

TODAY'S GAME

The Calgary Hitmen open a five-game road trip tonight in Northern Saskatchewan against the Prince Albert Raiders. The Hitmen are coming off Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Regina Pats. Colorado Avalanche prospect Nick Henry netted the winner, scoring 14 seconds into the extra session. The Pats never led until the end erasing deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. It was former Hitmen defenceman Aaron Hyman who forced overtime for the visitors collecting a power play goal with 8:54 remaining. Cole Dubinsky and Jake Leschyshyn rounded out the scoring for Regina. Riley Stotts, Jake Kryski and Kaden Elder provided the Hitmen goals while Mark Kastelic added a pair of assists. Calgary outshot the Pats 32-22 with both teams going 2-6 on the power play.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com

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STREAKS

- Jake Kryski (2g, 2a) and Kaden Elder (2g, 1a) have both scored in each of the last two games.

- Mark Kastelic (2g, 3a) has points in back-to-back games.

NOTEWORTHY VS. PRINCE ALBERT: Tonight is the second of four regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Raiders. Prince Albert grabbed the opener earlier this month on Thanksgiving Monday at the 'Dome by a score of 4-0. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ian Scott made 23 saves to record the shutout in his hometown. The two teams won't meet again until Saturday, Jan. 12 when the Hitmen make their final regular season visit to the Art Hauser Centre. Over the last five seasons Calgary is 6-4-3-0 against the Raiders including a 3-1-2-0 mark in Prince Albert.

2018-19 SERIES RECAP Oct. 8/18 at CGY: PA 4 CGY 0...The Raiders struck for a trio of second period goals in the first 12 minutes.

INSIDE THE SERIES Shots on Goal: CGY 23 PA 31 Power Plays: CGY 0-4 (0%) PA 0-4 (0%)

DID YOU KNOW?: The Raiders roster features six players from Calgary in Zack Hayes, Spencer Moe, Ozzy Wiesblatt, Brett Leason, Sean Montgomery and Ian Scott...Hitmen forward Luke Coleman started his WHL career with Prince Albert playing parts of three seasons before a Jan. 10, 2017 trade to Calgary. Coleman was originally selected by the Raiders in the fifth round of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.

WHL FIRSTS: Four members of the Hitmen have already recorded significant milestones in the young season. Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Josh Prokop have both scored their first-career goals while goaltender Jack McNaughton has picked up his first-career win. Goalie Carl Stankowski has also recorded his first-career point with an assist.

NHL WATCH: On Oct. 1, 110 players from the Canadian Hockey League were listed among NHL Central Scouting's October 'Players to Watch' list for the 2019 NHL Draft. Among them is Hitmen defenceman Jackson van de Leest who received a "C rating' which indicates fourth/fifth/sixth round candidate. The second year Hitmen blueliner was Calgary's first round pick, 16th overall, in the 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Forward Cael Zimmerman is in his second season in the Western Hockey League. The 17-year-old product of Englefeld, Saskatchewan was Calgary's second round pick, 44th overall, in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. Last season he won the Hitmen RE/MAX Rookie of the Year Award. Zimmerman played Midget AAA in Prince Albert with the Mintos in 2016-17, recording 42 points (11g, 31a) in 39 games.

ROSTER MOVES: On Oct. 6 the Hitmen acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2020 from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for defencemen Dom Schmiemann. On Oct. 4 the Hitmen reassigned goaltender Matthew Armitage and forward Orca Wiesblatt. Armitage, a 19-year-old from Creston, BC, played 20 games for the Hitmen during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons while Wiesblatt, an 18-year-old Calgary product, played in 51 contests with the Hitmen during that same time. On Sept. 27 the Hitmen acquired 20-year-old forward Kaden Elder from the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2019 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft. The addition of Elder, rounds out Calgary's overage group giving the Hitmen a league maximum of three with Luke Coleman and Jake Kryski. On Sept. 26 Calgary added Josh Prokop to the roster. He had started the season in the BCHL with the Vernon Vipers. The Hitmen acquired the rights to Prokop last season in a trade with the Swift Current Broncos. The November 25, 2018 deal saw Calgary obtain Conner Chaulk, Dom Schmiemann, Riley Stotts and the rights to Prokop along with goaltending prospect Ethan Hein and a second-round pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft (Zac Funk) in exchange for graduating forwards Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn and a 2018 fifth-round bantam pick. This trade unites Josh with his younger brother Luke who is in his first full WHL season.

HITMEN IN THE NHL: Nine graduates of the Calgary Hitmen are in the National Hockey League this season. They include: Ryan Getzlaf (ANA), Michael Stone (CGY), Victor Rask (CAR), Karl Alzner (MTL), Andrew Ladd (NYI), Johnny Boychuk (NYI), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Martin Jones (SJS), and Jake Virtanen (VAN).

LEAGUE HISTORY: This is year 24 for the franchise, with the Hitmen qualifying for the playoffs in 19 of their 23 seasons. During that time they have captured the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions on two occasions, in 1999 and 2010.

CORRAL SERIES: The Hitmen will play a trio of regular season games this season at the historic Stampede Corral. "The Corral Series" presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports, will see the Hitmen host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday, Feb. 1, the Regina Pats on Wednesday, Feb. 6 and the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday, Feb. 8. All will be 7:00 p.m. starts in the vintage building that first opened on Dec. 15, 1950 and was the original home of the Calgary Flames from 1980-83. Each game will be dedicated to a former elite team who once called the Stampede Corral home by wearing commemorative jerseys of the Calgary Centennials, Calgary Wranglers and Calgary Cowboys. The series will feature a number of exciting events including an opening night pre-game celebration and beer gardens, a luncheon, merchandise and other activities that will make this a week to remember. Tickets go on sale to the public on Nov. 26.

HITMEN GO GREEN: On Sept. 26, National Tree Day, the Calgary Hitmen announced their participation in an environmental initiative called One Ticket, One Tree. The Hitmen will begin a pilot project where a tree will be planted for reforestation projects in the province for each game day and group ticket sold to the One Ticket, One Tree game when they host the Oil Kings on Mar. 8 at 7:00 p.m. In addition, Hitmen players will be in the community this season doing their part to reduce their ecological footprint and bring awareness to local environmental issues.

HITMEN ALUMNUS: Brandon Kozun, who played parts of four seasons with the Hitmen from 2006-10, is in the KHL with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He has 13 points (5g, 8a) in 15 games. Kozun sits fourth all-time on the franchise's regular season points list with 270. He was also a member of the 2010 WHL Champion Hitmen.

TICKET SPECIALS: The 2018-19 Hitmen Hockey Pass is on sale and includes 34 game tickets to be used anytime, in any combination. Pass holders also receive a $50 Scotiabank Saddledome gift card and a complimentary ticket to a select Flames, Roughnecks or Stampeders game. Passes start at less than $7 per ticket for kids and under $15 for adults. Also available is the 10-game Hitmen Flex Pack to be used for any game, in any combination. Students and kids tickets are $10 per game, adults and seniors $20. Applicable fees and taxes apply. Visit HitmenHockey.com to score yours today!

UPCOMING GAMES All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.

DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST

Oct. 17 at Saskatoon 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Oct. 19 at Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Oct. 20 at Brandon 6:30 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Oct. 23 at Red Deer 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Oct. 26 vs. Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

PROMO CALENDAR

Hitmen single game tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster. Upcoming home game highlights include: - Roughnecks Theme on Oct. 26 vs. LET - Hometown Heroes on Oct. 28 vs. SAS

- Diwali Celebration on Nov. 3 vs. RD

- The Brick Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 9 vs. KAM

- Carols for Christmas on Dec. 14 vs. KEL

- Novice Jamboree on Dec. 16 vs. LET

- Soccer Day on Dec. 30 vs. VAN

- Airdrie Day on Jan. 1 vs. VIC

- Wizarding Day on Jan. 5 vs. MH

- CBE Night on Jan. 25 vs. PG

- Dodge Skate with the Hitmen on Jan. 27 vs. KTN - The Corral Series - Presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports on Feb.1 vs. BDN, Feb. 6 vs. REG and Feb. 8 vs. PA. Tickets on sale starting Nov. 26 - Family Game on Feb. 10 vs. MJ

- Lunar Celebration/Calgary Catholic on Feb. 15 vs. MH - TELUS BE BRAVE on Feb. 27 vs. SC - Multicultural Night on Mar. 1 vs. BDN - WHL Suits up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation - Presented by RE/MAX on Mar. 3 vs. KTN - One Ticket, One Tree on Mar. 8 vs. EDM - Fan Appreciation on Mar. 17 vs. EDM

MILESTONE WATCH

- Mark Kastelic is one point shy of 100 and four goals away from 50. He played career game 200 on Sept. 29 against Edmonton.

- Luke Coleman needs six goals for 50. He notched his 100th career point with an assist on Sept. 30 against Red Deer.

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