Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Friday, December 18 at Medicine Hat
December 18, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (21-12-1-1, 44 pts.) at MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (11-18-2-1, 25 pts.)
Friday, Dec. 18, 2015 - 7:30 p.m. MT - Canalta Centre
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen wrap up a stretch of five straight games away from the Scotiabank Saddledome tonight as they open a home-and-home series against the Tigers in Medicine Hat. Calgary is 3-1 on their road trip and coming off Sunday's 5-2 victory in Red Deer. Cody Porter made 42 saves, in a first-star performance, while Jakob Stukel scored his second career hat-trick. The Hitmen, at 44 points, are in a three-way tie for the WHL's Central Division and Eastern Conference lead with the Red Deer Rebels and Lethbridge Hurricanes. Medicine Hat is fifth in the Central Division, four points behind the Edmonton Oil Kings for the final Wildcard spot.
HITMEN BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com SN960 pre-game show begins at 7:00 p.m.
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STREAKS
- Travis Sanheim (2g, 7a) is riding a six-game point streak.
- Layne Bensmiller (2g, 4a) is on a three-game point streak.
- Keegan Kanzig (1g, 1a), Micheal Zipp (2a) and Radel Fazleev (1g, 3a) all have points in back-to-back games.
- Jordy Stallard (4g, 3a) has points in five of his last six games while Jake Bean (1g, 5a) and Jakob Stukel (5g, 2a) have at least a point in three of their last four games.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. MEDICINE HAT: Tonight is the second of six regular season meetings between the two teams. It's also their first meeting in over two months. David Quenneville (1g, 2a) leads the Tigers with three points. Chad Butcher (2g), Mason Shaw (2a), Ty Stanton (2a) and Steven Owre (2a) all have two. Over the last five seasons, Calgary is 10-13-1-1 against the Tigers including a 4-8-1-0 record in Medicine Hat.
2015-16 REGULAR SEASON SERIES RECAP Oct. 17/15 at MH: MH 6 CAL 0...Austin Lotz 27 save shutout. Chad Butcher scored twice.
INSIDE THE SERIES Shots on Goal: CAL 27 MH 30 Power Plays: CAL 0-6 (40%) MH 2-4 (50%)
DIVISIONAL DIET: Today's game against the Tigers is the second of seven straight contests for Calgary against teams from the Central Division. As part of this schedule, the Hitmen will also play Kootenay and Lethbridge twice and the Tigers once more. Calgary has a record of 5-4-0-1 against teams from their own division this season.
CHL TOP 10: The Calgary Hitmen are ranked 10th in the BMO Canadian Hockey League Top 10 this week. The weekly rankings are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.
INSIDE THE STREAK: Calgary has picked up 25 of a possible 30 points, going 12-2-1-0 in their last 15 games. They have outscored their opponents by a combined 63-38 while outshooting them 502-380.
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY: The Hitmen, who have won four of their last six games away from the Scotiabank Saddledome, have played the most road games of any team in the WHL at 20 or 55.6 percent of their road schedule for the entire season. By comparison, the Kamloops Blazers have played a league-low 13 games away from home.
WHL FACTS: There have been 10 penalty shots in the league this season but only two goals. Calgary hasn't had a penalty shot since the 2015 WHL playoffs when they were awarded two, just 29 seconds apart on April 15th in Game 4 of their second-round series with Medicine Hat. Jake Virtanen scored on the first one while Elliott Peterson was stopped on the second attempt.
SHOT CLOCK: The Hitmen are averaging 26.89 shots against per game this season, which is the third lowest total of any team in the WHL.
TEETER TOTTER: Calgary has been through a series off three different runs this season. They started the 2015-16 schedule 5-1-0-1 before going 4-9-0-0 in their next 13 games. Since then, they've posted a record of 12-2-1-0.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Calgary Hitmen teammates Travis Sanheim and Radel Fazleev have departed to try out for their home countries ahead of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. Sanheim is one of 25 players remaining with Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp while Fazleev is one of 29 players attending Russia's Preparation Camp at the Novogorsk facility near Moscow.
TOP 100 JERSEYS: The Hockey News has released its list of the Top 100 jerseys of all time in the world of hockey. The Calgary Hitmen jersey from the 1995-96 season ranks #22.
BEAR FACTS: On Dec. 6, the Hitmen held their 21st annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss. Fans tossed a record 28,815 stuffed toys, to bring the total number of teddy bears collected since the inaugural event, held in 1995, to 299,419. This year's game was also played in front of the first-ever teddy bear toss sellout of 19,289 fans. Among the over 50 local agencies to benefit this season; Calgary Food Bank, Stephen's Backpacks, Salvation Army and Siksika Children's Services.
NHL DRAFT WATCH: Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean, forward Beck Malenstyn and goaltender Cody Porter have all been named to the National Hockey League's Players to Watch list for November in advance of the 2016 NHL Draft. The list, compiled by NHL Central Scouting Service, groups prospects by league and gives each player an individual rating. Bean, one of 49 players from the Western Hockey League on the list, received an "A" ranking which indicates a first-round candidate. Malenstyn and Porter received "C" ratings, indicating a fourth, fifth or sixth-round selection.
DYNAMIC DUO: Calgary has two of the top five scoring defencemen in the WHL in Travis Sanheim and Jake Bean. Sanheim (8g, 23a) has 31 points to sit third while Bean's 30 points (13g, 17a) is tied for fourth among defencemen. Bean's career-high 13 goals top all blueliners while his five power play markers is tied for second among all rearguards. Sanheim's 23 assists rank tied for fifth.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Calgary's power play, which has scored 33 goals in 35 games, is 10th in the WHL at 20.9%. The Hitmen penalty kill, which has surrendered 27 goals this season, is seventh in the league at 82.4%.
REGULAR SEASON CAREER MILESTONE WATCH: Jordy Stallard is two points away from 50. Travis Sanheim needs three assists to reach 100. Jackson Houck needs five goals to reach 100. Colby Harmsworth played in his 200th career game on Sunday in Red Deer.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Jake Virtanen, who played the last three seasons with the Hitmen, has been assigned to Canada's World Junior team by the Vancouver Canucks. Virtanen helped Canada win gold in 2015. The 19-year-old appeared in 192 career games for the Hitmen, collecting 161 points (85g, 76a).
HOLIDAY CHEER: The Calgary Hitmen are offering a special ticket package during the holiday season. Fans can purchase tickets to two holiday games for $25. There are four games to pick from which include; Dec. 19 vs. MH, Dec. 28 vs. KTN, Dec. 30 vs. LET and Jan. 3 vs. BDN. For full details, visit HitmenHockey.com.
Western Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2015
- Rockets Fall 3-1 to Raiders in Prince Albert - Kelowna Rockets
- Porter Backstops Hitmen to 2-0 Victory - Calgary Hitmen
- Pats Rally Falls Short - Regina Pats
- Prince Albert snaps losing streak with win over defending WHL champions - Prince Albert Raiders
- Americans Sign Prospect Liam Belcourt - Tri-City Americans
- Liam Schioler Joins Pats - Regina Pats
- Hitmen Host 'Fame for Food' Saturday - Calgary Hitmen
- McRae's Mad Mondays Return December 21st - Victoria Royals
- Hawks to Host Portland's Biggest New Year's Eve Party; Fans Can Tune in to Upcoming Broadcasts - Portland Winterhawks
- Wheat Kings Back in Action Friday - Brandon Wheat Kings
- First Place Rockets in Prince Albert Tonight - Kelowna Rockets
- Teddy Bear Toss Goes Tonight - Vancouver Giants
- Game 33: December 18 vs. Calgary - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Game Notes: Broncos Host Brandon - Swift Current Broncos
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Friday, December 18 at Medicine Hat - Calgary Hitmen
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