Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Friday, November 2 vs. Medicine Hat
November 2, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (4-9-2-0, 10 pts.) vs. MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (8-6-0-2, 18 pts.)
Friday, November 2, 2018 - 7:00 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen return to the Scotiabank Saddledome for Game 3 of a four game homestand tonight against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Game time is 7:00 p.m. for RE/MAX Chuck-A-Puck where four lucky participants will win a hot air balloon ride courtesy of RE/MAX. The Hitmen are proud to welcome the Calgary Domestic Violence Collective to tonight's game. As a show of support players are wearing a purple ribbon on their helmets which recognizes Family Violence Prevention Month.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
________________________________
STREAKS
- Jake Kryski (2g, 4a) is on a season-high five-game point streak.
- Mark Kastelic (9g, 8a) has points in seven of his last nine games.
- James Malm (1g, 3a) has points in two of his last three games.
NOTEWORTHY
TEDDY BEAR TICKETS: Due to overwhelming demand, the Calgary Hitmen are opening press-level seating for The Brick Teddy Bear Toss. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. TODAY at all Ticketmaster locations and the Scotiabank Saddledome box office, fans will be able to purchase a press-level seat. Tickets start at $14.99 for adults and $9.99 for students and kids (plus applicable fees and taxes). Limited second level seats also remain. Fans are encouraged to bring a new small or medium-sized stuffed toy to toss onto the ice when the Hitmen score their first goal on Sunday, December 9 against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. Game time at the 'Dome is 2:00 p.m.
VS. MEDICINE HAT: Tonight is the first of six regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Tigers. Calgary went 3-2-1-0 against their provincial rivals last season. Mark Rassell led the series for Medicine Hat with ten points (6g, 4a) followed by David Quenneville (2g, 4a) with six. Carson Focht (2g, 3a) and Mark Kastelic (1g, 4a) were Calgary's top performers with five points each. The Hitmen will face off against the Tigers again on Sunday, Nov. 4 at the Canalta Centre in 6:00 p.m. start.
2017-18 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 10/17 at CGY: MH 4 CGY 2... Mark Rassell netted a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a 4-2 win.
Nov. 11/17 at MH: MH 4 CGY 3 OT... Max Gerlach scored the game winner with 6.5 seconds left in overtime.
Jan. 3/18 at CGY: CGY 4 MH 3 OT... Riley Stotts scored 47 seconds into overtime.
Feb. 9/18 at MH: MH 4 CGY 0... Medicine Hat scored three goals in a span of 2:40 in the second period.
Feb. 11/18 at CGY: CGY 5 MH 4... Conner Chaulk snapped a 4-4 tie with 1:48 remaining.
Mar. 13/18 at MH: CGY 3 MH 1... Hitmen scored three unanswered third period goals for a 3-1 victory.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 182 MH 222 Power Plays: CGY 4-21 (19.0%) MH 5-24 (20.8%)
LAST GAME RECAP: The Hitmen are coming off Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades. Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen scored with 7:17 remaining in the third period to snap a 3-3 tie while Kirby Dach, with his second goal of the night, scored an empty-netter for insurance. Eric Florchuk and Josh Paterson rounded out the scoring for the visitors. Jake Kryski, Carson Focht and Zach Huber provided goals for Calgary. Saskatoon goaltender Nolan Maier made 38 saves, with Hitmen goalie Jack McNaughton recording 36 stops in a contest that saw both teams register 41 shots on goal. Hitmen went 0-3 on the power play while the Blades were 1-6.
FAST FACTS: Tonight kicks off a schedule of six straight games for the Hitmen against teams from their own division. Tonight is also the first of three games in three days. It's their second such stretch this season. In total, Calgary will play three games in 72 hours or less five times this season. Their next is from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.
WHL HONOURS: Hitmen captain Mark Kastelic was named the WHL On the Run Player of the Week for the week ending Oct 21. Kastelic recorded eight points (5g, 3a) and a plus-two rating in four games during a road trip through the East Division, highlighted by a pair of multi-goal performances. Originally selected in the second round, 41st overall, by the Hitmen in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft, the 19-year-old tops the Hitmen with 21 points (12g, 9a) in 15 games. That has him tied for ninth in the WHL scoring race.
NHL WATCH: Jackson van de Leest is among NHL Central Scouting's 'Players to Watch' list for the 2019 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old 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.
WORLD STAGE: Luke Prokop has joined Hockey Canada at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. The eight-team tournament starts tomorrow and runs until Nov. 10 in Saint John and Quispamsis, N.B. The 16-year-old will become the 28th player in franchise history to participate in the tournament joining fellow teammates Jackson van de Leest (2017), Carson Focht (2016), Jake Kryski (2014), Carl Stankowski (2016) and Riley Stotts (2016) who have also played in the international event. Focht and Nielsen won gold with Canada White while van de Leest helped Canada Red capture silver. Prokop is a member of Canada White.
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet forward Luke Coleman after tonight's game. Coleman will be signing autographs at the Hitmen Booster Club table located behind section 212.
PROSPECT WATCH: Marek Pocherewny, Calgary's third-round pick, 47th overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft is in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League with the CBHA Rangers. The 15-year-old goaltender has a 2.58 goals against average and a .912 save percentage in seven games.
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 Nov. 26.
RECENT MOVES: On Wednesday, the Hitmen acquired forward James Malm and a conditional draft pick in the 2020 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft from the Vancouver Giants in exchange for forward Tristen Nielsen. On Oct. 30 the Hitmen acquired a sixth-round selection in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for forward Zack Huber. 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.
HITMEN GO GREEN: On National Tree Day, the 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 VS: (BDN 1-0), (EDM 0-1), (EVT 0-0), (KAM 0-0), (KEL 0-0), (KTN 0-1), (LET 1-1), (MH 0-0), (MJ 1-0), (POR 0-0), (PA 0-2), (PG 0-0), (RD 0-2-1-0), (REG 0-0-1-0), (SAS 1-2), (SEA 0-0), (SPO 0-0), (SC 0-0), (TC 0-0), (VAN 0-0), (VIC 0-0).
TICKET SPECIALS: The 2018-19 Hitmen Hockey Pass includes 34 tickets to be used anytime, in any combination. Pass holders also receive a $50 Scotiabank Saddledome gift card and a FREE 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
Nov. 3 vs. Red Deer 1:30 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Nov. 4 at Medicine Hat 6:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Nov. 9 at Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Nov. 11 vs. Kootenay 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Nov. 16 at Kootenay 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
PROMO CALENDAR
Hitmen single game tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster. Upcoming home game highlights include:
- 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
- Carson Focht needs two points for 50.
- Dakota Krebs is five games away from 200.
- Luke Coleman needs four goals for 50.
- Jake Kryski is seven games away from 300.
- Kaden Elder needs six goals for 50.
Western Hockey League Stories from November 2, 2018
- ICE Announce Flex Packs Now on Sale for 2018-19 Season - Kootenay Ice
- Blades Head to Moose Jaw for Date with Warriors - Saskatoon Blades
- Rebels' Defenceman Alexander Alexeyev Named to Team Russia Roster for 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series - WHL
- First Overall Selection Guenther to Make WHL Debut - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Winterhawks Game Day Preview: Portland vs. Victoria - Game #15 - Portland Winterhawks
- ICE Go for Three-Straight Victories, Visit Raiders - Kootenay Ice
- Game 17 at Calgary - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Friday, November 2 vs. Medicine Hat - Calgary Hitmen
- Game Day Preview: Pats Host Edmonton for First Meeting of 2018-19 - Regina Pats
- ICE Double up Blades 4-2 - Kootenay Ice
- ICE Carve out Win over Blades in Saskatoon - Saskatoon Blades
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
