Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Friday, February 7 vs. Prince Albert
Published on February 7, 2020 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (27-16-4-1, 59 pts.) vs. PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (28-14-5-4, 65 pts.)
Friday, February 7, 2020 - 7:00 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen, winners of five of their last six, host the Prince Albert Raiders tonight at Scotiabank Saddledome. It's a 7:00 p.m. start presented by Canada Life. The first 5,000 people in the building when doors open at 6:00 p.m. will receive a Canada Life rally towel. There will also be a shooting accuracy challenge set up on the concourse behind section 226 along with a chance to win a trip to the 2020 Memorial Cup in Kelowna. Calgary is coming off last Sunday's 5-0 home ice win over Red Deer. Carson Focht and Jackson van de Leest both scored two goals each while Hitmen goaltender Jack McNaughton made 14 saves to record his third career shutout as Calgary outshot the Rebels 28-14. Connor Gabruch also scored in the victory while Orca Wiesblatt and Jett Woo added two assists each. It was 'Every Child Matters' presented by Siksika Health Services in partnership with Siksika Child & Family Services and First Nations Health Consortium. The game was dedicated to Indigenous youth empowerment through sport and celebrated the Blackfoot culture. Highlights included a second intermission Round Dance, which spanned all the way around the concourse to bring cultures together. It marked the first such dance ever held at a Hitmen game. Calgary, at 59 points, holds the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference while the Raiders lead the East Division with 65 points.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan beginning with a 60 minute pre-game show at 6:00 p.m.
Webcast: WHL Live at whllive.com
STREAKS
- Riley Stotts (3g, 5a) and Josh Prokop (2g, 3a) both have points in four of their last five games.
- Dakota Krebs (2g, 1a) and Riley Fiddler-Schultz (1g, 2a) have points in three of their last four games.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. PRINCE ALBERT: Tonight is the third of four regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Raiders. Calgary is 1-0-1 against their Eastern Conference rivals. Five Hitmen in Orca Wiesblatt (2g), Adam Kydd (1g, 1a), Josh Prokop (1g, a), Egor Zamula (1g, 1a) and Luke Prokop (2a) lead the club in scoring against Prince Albert with two points each. Spencer Moe (1g, 2a) is the top performer for PA with three points while four others in Brayden Watts (2g), Ozzy Wiesblatt (2g), Kaiden Guhle (1g, 1a) and Evan Herman (1g, 1a) all have two points each. Calgary is 2-4-1-0 in their last seven home games against the Raiders. Their final meeting is on Tuesday, Mar. 3 back in Saskatchewan.
2019-20 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 6/19 at CGY: CGY 4 PA 2...Orca Wiesblatt scored twice for Calgary.
Nov. 17/19 at PA: PA 5 CGY 4 OT...Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the winner 1:12 into the extra session.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 51 PA 55 Power Plays: CGY 1-3 (33.3%) PA 2-7 (28.6%)
ALUMNUS OF THE GAME: This 25th anniversary season, the Hitmen in partnership with Adrenalin Source for Sports, are honouring an alumnus at each home game. Today's alumnus, Jaydan Gordon, spent one season with the Hitmen during the 2016-17 campaign appearing in 70 games. The pride of Cochrane, AB, tallied eight points (2g, 6a).
FAST FACTS: Calgary is 12-5-1-0 against the East Division...Tonight kicks off a busy stretch for the Hitmen who will play 16 games in 30 days...Brayden Peters was the Hitmen Tommy Gun's Original Barbershop Player of the Month for January. He went 7-3 with a 2.10 goals against average and .923 save percentage...
JANUARY RECAP: Riley Stotts led all Hitmen last month with 15 points (6g, 9a) in 14 games. Mark Kastelic (6g, 8a) was next with 14 points while Jett Woo (12a) tallied 12. Kastelic was also the plus/minus leader at +11.
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet Hitmen defenceman and Vancouver Canucks prospect Jett Woo after today's game. Woo will be signing autographs at the Hitmen Booster Club table located behind section 212.
BROTHER BATTLE: Today's game features a pair of sibling rivalries; a head-to-head meeting of Orca and Ozzy Wiesblatt and Blake and Nolan Allan Orca, with the Hitmen, has played 109 career regular season games in the WHL while Ozzy has appeared in 115. Blake has played in 111 games while Nolan, has skated in 44.
DRAFT WATCH: NHL Central Scouting named two Hitmen players to its midterm rankings list ahead of the 2020 NHL Draft. Defenceman Luke Prokop makes the list at number 86 among North American skaters while goaltender Jack McNaughton is ranked 14th among North American goalies.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: Calgary is 15-8-1-1 at home, grabbing points in 12 of their last 16 games while posting a 10-4-1-1 record at the 'Dome. Prince Albert is 14-8-2-2 on the road and coming off Wednesday's 4-3 OT victory in Medicine Hat. Overall the Raiders are 4-0-0-1 in their last five games away from Art Hauser Centre.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Kyle Olson (lower body, day-to-day), Andrew Viggars (upper body, indefinite), Egor Zamula (upper body, 3-to-4 months). Total man-games lost: 126
HITMEN MONTH-BY-MONTH: September (3-0-1-0), October (5-3-0-0), November (6-4-1-1), December (3-4-2-0), January (9-5-0-0), February (1-0-0-0).
HITMEN ALUMNUS: Joel Broda is playing pro hockey in Austria with Innsbruck HC. The 30-year-old forward has 31 points (18g, 13a) in 40 games. Broda spent parts of two seasons with the Hitmen from 2008-09 to 2009-10 recording 112 points (56g, 56a) in 94 games.
IN THE COMMUNITY: On Monday, the entire team attended Subway Hang with the Hitmen. Hitmen players led four teams through a series of on and off-ice sessions including warm-ups, cool-downs, skill development, scrimmages and video sessions. The evening closed with a meal from Subway and an autograph session. Participating teams included the Springbank Pee Wee 1 Rockies, Bow River Pee Wee Bruins, Crowfoot Pee Wee Coyotes and Girls Hockey Calgary Jr. Inferno.
ONE YEAR AGO: Calgary is five points ahead of their start through 48 games last season when they owned a record of 25-19-3-1.
THE POWER OF THREE: The Hitmen are 26-6-2-0 when holding the opposition to three goals or less. Conversely, Calgary is 1-10-2-1 when giving up four or more goals.
HITMEN HOCKEY HOUR: Catch the Hitmen Hockey Hour on Sportsnet-960 The Fan, tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 8 from Noon to 1:00 p.m. Guests include Brayden Peters, Jackson van de Leest and Adam Kydd.
TOP PROSPECTS REWIND: Defenceman Luke Prokop played in the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Jan. 16 in Hamilton, becoming the 27th Hitmen player to compete in the event. Jake Bean was the last to appear, suiting up in 2016. Prokop played a regular shift for Team White in their 5-3 victory over Team Red. He finished with one shot on goal and was +1. The game was a showcase for the top CHL players eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft.
UPCOMING GAMES
All times MT. Schedule subject to change.
Date Opponent Time Broadcast
Sat., Feb. 8 at RD 7:00 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Sun., Feb. 9 vs. LET 4:00 PM Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Wed., Feb. 12 vs. REG 7:00 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Sat., Feb. 15 at PG 8:00 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Mon., Feb. 17 at KEL 3:05 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
PROMO CALENDAR
Hitmen single game tickets are on sale at all Ticketmaster locations. Upcoming home game highlights include:
- Feb. 7 vs. PA presented by Canada Life.
- Family Game presented by Calgary Co-op. It's also Sunday Funday, presented by Ricky's All Day Grill on Feb. 9 vs. LET.
- Canadian Mental Health Association Awareness Game and on Feb. 12 vs. REG. It's also RE/MAX Chuck-A-Puck where four lucky participants will win a hot air balloon ride courtesy of RE/MAX.
- TELUS BE BRAVE #EndBullying Game on Feb. 27 vs. WPG.
- One Ticket, One Tree on Feb. 28 vs. BDN.
- 'Forever A Hitmen' induction of Kelly Kisio on Mar. 1 vs. LET.
- Multicultural Night on Mar. 7 vs. SPO
- WHL Suits Up to Promote Organ Donation presented by RE/MAX on Mar. 15 vs. RD.
- Fan Appreciation presented by Vision Travel on Mar. 22 vs. SC.
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Jett Woo is three points shy of 150 while Carson Focht needs five points to hit 150.
- Mark Kastelic is one point behind Ryan Getzlaf for 10th spot on the clubs all-time points list. Getzlaf tallied 215.
- Jack McNaughton is 40 saves behind Cody Porter for ninth place on the clubs all-time saves list. Porter has 1,734.
- Riley Stotts notched career assist 100 in last Sunday's win over Red Deer.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2020
- Raiders Edged By Hitmen in Tight Contest in Calgary - Prince Albert Raiders
- Broncos Fight Back Twice But Fall to Pats - Swift Current Broncos
- Pats Take Fourth Straight, 4-2 - Regina Pats
- All-Warrior Weekend Commences Tomorrow - Saskatoon Blades
- Game 51 at Brandon - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Preview: Broncos Host Pats to Begin Weekend Series - Swift Current Broncos
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Friday, February 7 vs. Prince Albert - Calgary Hitmen
- Sold out Dinner a Huge Success - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Game Day Preview: Pats Kick off Home and Home with Broncos in Swift Current Friday - Regina Pats
- Game Day Hub: February 7 - Portland Winterhawks
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