Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, February 23 at Swift Current
February 23, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (30-22-5-1, 66 pts.) at SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS (10-41-3-2, 25 pts.)
Saturday, February 23, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. MT - Innovation Credit Union iPlex
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen wrap up a four-game road trip tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos. Calgary is 1-1-1-0 on the swing which began last Saturday with a 5-3 win in Medicine Hat followed by Wednesday's 5-1 setback in Brandon and a 5-4 overtime loss in Regina last night. Logan Nijhoff scored the winner for the Pats 30 seconds into sudden death. After Calgary opened the scoring, they erased deficits of 2-1 and 4-2 to force the extra session. James Malm netted a pair of goals for the Hitmen with Mark Kastelic and Vladislav Yeryomenko adding singles. Kastelic chipped in a pair of assists for a team-leading three points. Carson Focht and Kaden Elder also added a pair of helpers. The Pats received their goals from five different players with Garrett Wright, Duncan Pierce, Austin Pratt and Carter Massier rounding out the scoring. The Hitmen outshot Regina 41-30 and have now picked up points in 11 of their last 14 games posting a record of 9-3-2 in that span.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
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STREAKS
- Vladislav Yeryomenko (3g) has scored in three straight games.
- James Malm (5g, 8a) has points in eight of his last nine games.
- Mark Kastelic (6g, 4a) has points in five of his last six outings.
- Egor Zamula (1g, 4a) and Carson Focht (1g, 2a) both have points in two of their last three games.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. SWIFT CURRENT: Tonight is the third of four regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Broncos. Calgary has won both meetings by a combined score of 9-4. James Malm (2g, 2a) leads the Hitmen in the season series with four points. Riley Stotts (1g, 2a) is next with three. Ethan O'Rourke (2g) is the top scoring Bronco with two points while six others have a single point. The Hitmen are 2-3-1-1 in their last seven visits to Innovation Credit Union iPlex.
2018-19 SERIES RECAP
Dec. 7/18 in CGY: CGY 3 SC 2...Josh Prokop scored the winner with just 23 seconds remaining.
Jan. 30/19 at SC: CGY 6 SC 2...The Hitmen were powered by a four-goal first period.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 88 SC 45 Power Plays: CGY 2-5 (40%) SC 1-6 (16.7%)
PLAYOFF CHASE: With 10 games to go in the regular season, the Hitmen hold the first Eastern Conference Wildcard spot sitting one point ahead of Brandon. Looking up, Calgary is one point behind Medicine Hat for third place in the Central Division and trails Lethbridge by six points for second spot. The Tigers and Hurricanes close their home-and-home set tonight in Medicine Hat.
FAST FACTS: Including tonight, Calgary has five road games left in the regular season and five at home...Mark Kastelic has 14 multi-goal games this season...Since January 1, Calgary has posted a record of 20-8-3-0...The Hitmen have only been outshot once in the last 14 games...Luke Coleman has scored a career-high 18 goals including 10 since Jan. 1. Goaltender Jack McNaughton returned to the lineup Wednesday in Brandon after missing the previous four games with an injury. James Malm has scored a career-high 25 goals.
DID YOU KNOW?: Mark Kastelic is the first Hitmen player to score 40 goals in a season since Matteo Gennaro netted 43 in the 2016-17 season. Prior to Gennaro, Adam Tambellini scored 47 goals in 2014-15. Kastelic's 84 career goals have him 15th on the clubs all-time goal scoring list, trailing Jake Virtanen by just one marker for 14th spot. Brad Moran holds the franchise record with 204.
BOUNCING BACK: Since starting the season 1-6-2-0, the Hitmen have gone 29-16-3-1.
WHL TOP 15: Mark Kastelic is second in the WHL in goals with 43, his 70 points are tied for 11th and his 22 power play markers lead the league. Egor Zamula is tied for seventh in defencemen scoring with 46 points. Dakota Krebs is ninth in plus/minus among defenceman at +24.
CANADA WINTER GAMES: Three Hitmen prospects are taking part in the 2019 Canada Winter Games underway in Red Deer. Forward Sean Tschigerl is captain of Team Alberta with defenceman Tyson Galloway on Team British Columbia and defenceman Rory Neill on Manitoba. Tschigerl (1g, 2a), Galloway (3a) and Neill (2a) have all found their way onto the scoresheet.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Jake Kryski (indefinite, upper body). Hunter Campbell (indefinite, lower body), Cael Zimmerman (week-to-week, upper body).
ALUMNI WATCH: Paul Postma is playing in the KHL with AK Bars Kazan. The 30-year-old defenceman has 28 points (8g, 20a) in 57 games. Postma spent parts of two seasons with the Hitmen from 2007-09 recording 126 points (37g, 89a) in 126 games. He sits eighth on the club's all-time scoring list among defenceman. Matt Kinch leads the way with 306.
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 3.22 goals against average and a .903 save percentage in 20 games.
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.
SASKATCHEWAN CONNECTIONS: Six Hitmen have ties to the province. Athletic Therapist Nathan Hollinger is from Grenfell, Equipment Manager Darien Engelhardt and forward Carson Focht are both from Regina. Kaden Elder is from Saskatoon, Cael Zimmerman hails from Englefeld and Ryder Korczak is from Yorkton.
CAREER YEARS: With still 14.7 percent of the regular seasons schedule remaining, Nine Hitmen have set new career highs in point totals. Their previous best is in brackets: Mark Kastelic 70pts (45), Kaden Elder 52pts (32), Riley Stotts 47pts (44) Egor Zamula 46pts (18), Carson Focht 44pts (33), Cael Zimmerman 25pts (18), Dakota Krebs 20pts (16), Jackson van de Leest 18pts (5) and Hunter Campbell 13pts (11).
UPCOMING GAMES
All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.
DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
Feb. 27 vs. Swift Current 11:00 a.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 1 vs. Brandon 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 2 at Kootenay 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Mar. 3 vs. Kootenay 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 6 at Medicine Hat 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
PROMO CALENDAR
Upcoming home game highlights include:
- TELUS BE BRAVE Anti-Bullying Game 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 and Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill on Mar. 3 vs. KTN
- One Ticket, One Tree on Mar. 8 vs. EDM
- Fan Appreciation and Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill on Mar. 17 vs. EDM
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Riley Stotts needs four goals for 50.
- Jack McNaughton is 23 saves away from 1,000.
- Jackson van de Leest played game 100 in Regina last night.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2019
- Raiders Clinch East Division, Eastern Conference With Win Over Wheat Kings - Prince Albert Raiders
- Hitmen Demolish Broncos, 6-1 - Calgary Hitmen
- Moose Jaw Gets by Pats, 5-2 - Regina Pats
- Winterhawks Game Day Preview: Portland at Seattle - Game #60 - Portland Winterhawks
- Preview: Hockey Night in Saskatoon as Blades Host ICE - Saskatoon Blades
- Game 60 vs Lethbridge - Medicine Hat Tigers
- ICE, Blades Meet in Saskatoon - Kootenay Ice
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, February 23 at Swift Current - Calgary Hitmen
- Game Day Preview: Pats Visit Moose Jaw for Afternoon Affair against the Warriors Saturday - Regina Pats
- Cougars End Losing Streak in Shootout - Prince George Cougars
- Silvertips Caught in OT - Everett Silvertips
- Americans Defeat Winterhawks 4-2 at Home - Tri-City Americans
- Tyszka Topples Tips in Overtime - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Giants Earn Their 40th Victory in a 4-0 Triumph over Victoria - Vancouver Giants
- Royals Shut out by Giants - Victoria Royals
- Spokane Storms Back Late to Salvage Point in Shootout Loss - Spokane Chiefs
- Rebels Fall Just Short in Provincial Capital - Red Deer Rebels
- Broncos Lose Special Teams Battle to Warriors - Swift Current Broncos
- Rockets Use Shootout to Topple Chiefs - Kelowna Rockets
- Blades Start Strong, Stumble against Wheat Kings - Saskatoon Blades
- Hawks in It Until the End in Kennewick - Portland Winterhawks
- Raiders Shut out ICE 4-0 - Kootenay Ice
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