Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, January 5 vs. Medicine Hat
January 5, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (18-16-3-1, 40 pts.) vs. MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (22-15-1-2, 47 pts.)
Saturday, January 5, 2019 - 1:30 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen wrap up a four-game homestand today as they welcome the Medicine Hat Tigers to the Scotiabank Saddledome. It's Wizarding Day at the 'Dome as fans are encouraged to wear their best wizard inspired costumes, try butter brew and take photos on platform 9 ¾.
The Hitmen are also proud to support the Toasty Toes Sock Collection Program with fans encouraged to bring toques, scarves, mitts, gloves and socks. Items will be collected behind section 215 at the wheelchair exit door and donated to the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter and Calgary Drop-In Centre. The Hitmen enter the day on a three-game winning streak and holders of the final Eastern Conference Wildcard spot.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan
TV: Sportsnet
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
________________________________
STREAKS
- Jake Kryski (5g, 6a) is on a career high eight-game point streak.
- Kaden Elder (2g, 1a) and Luke Coleman (2g, 1a) have both scored in back-to-back games.
- Mark Kastelic (5g) saw his four-game goal scoring streak snapped last night against Red Deer.
- Jack McNaughton has won his last three starts in goal, posting a combined goals against average of 2.00 and a .919 save percentage.
NOTEWORTHY
LAST GAME RECAP: Calgary is coming off last night's 5-3 win over Red Deer. The line of Cael Zimmerman, Hunter Campbell and Bryce Bader combined for six points: Zimmerman tallied two goals and an assist, Campbell recorded two assists while Bader collected a goal. Luke Coleman and Kaden Elder also scored for the Hitmen who have now won nine of their last 10 games on home ice. Defenceman Layne Toder and Dakota Krebs also tallied a pair of helpers. Brett Davis, Dawson Barteaux and Reese Johnson replied for the Rebels who fell behind 4-2 after tying the game early in the third period. Calgary outshot the visitors 29-23 with rookie goaltender Jack McNaughton making 20 saves to record the victory, his team-leading 12th of the season.
VS. MEDICINE HAT: Today is the third of six regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Tigers. The young series is split 1-1 with both teams winning at home. Jake Kryski leads Calgary in the series with one goal and four assists, while Hayden Ostir (2g, 2a) is the top performer for the Tigers with four points. The Central Division rivals won't meet again until they play a two-in-two weekend starting at the 'Dome on Friday, Feb. 15 with the rematch at the Canalta Centre on Saturday, Feb. 16.
2018-19 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 2/18 in CGY: CGY 7 MH 5...Mark Kastelic (2g, 1a) & Jake Kryski (1g, 2a) led Calgary with three points each.
Nov. 4/18 at MH: MH 5 CGY 4 ... Tigers built period leads of 3-1 and 5-3 en route to a 5-4 victory.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 82 MH 60 Power Plays: CGY 2-4 (50.0%) MH 5-9 (55.5%)
BOUNCING BACK: Since starting the season 0-5-1-0, the Hitmen have gone 18-11-2-1.
RECENT RUN: Calgary has picked up 26 of a possible 36 points in their last 18 games posting a record of 12-4-1-1. Special teams have been a major driver with the power play a combined 20-58 (34.5%) while the penalty kill is 57-64 (89.1%).
WHL TOP 15: Mark Kastelic is tied for fifth in the WHL in goals with 27 while his 14 power play markers lead the league. Egor Zamula is in a two-way tie for sixth in defencemen scoring with 34 points.
ROSTER MOVE: On Monday, the Hitmen added 16-year-old goaltender Ethan Hein to the roster. The product of Saskatoon, SK has been playing this season in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League with the Swift Current Legionnaires. In 14 games he has a 2.75 goals against average and .900 save percentage. The Hitmen acquired Hein last season in a multi-player trade with the Swift Current Broncos. The November, 27, 2018 deal saw Calgary obtain Conner Chaulk, Dom Schmiemann, Riley Stotts and the rights to Josh Prokop along with 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.
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet all of your favorite Hitmen players after today's game. The entire team will be signing autographs at the Hitmen Booster Club tables located behind section 212.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: The Hitmen are 11-7-2-0 on home ice while Medicine Hat is 10-9-1-0 on the road.
DID YOU KNOW?: Forward Riley Stotts was born on this day in 2000. The Winnipeg, MB product has recorded points in 16 of his 32 games this season with nine multi-point contests. Stotts, in partnership with WEB Consulting Ltd., is the face of this year's Puck for Paws campaign, which raises funds and awareness for the Four Feet Companion Foundation. The program sees both the Calgary Hitmen Foundation and WEB Consulting Ltd. direct $10 to the cause for every regular season point recorded by Stotts. So far the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has tallied 29 points (12g, 17a) this season raising $580 for the Four Feet Companion Foundation.
DECEMBER REWIND: The Hitmen went 6-2-1-0 during the month of December. Egor Zamula was the top-scorer with 16 points (5g, 11a). Zamula led the team in assists with 11 while Jake Kryski tallied a team-leading seven goals. James Malm was the plus/minus leader at +7.
CANADA WINTER GAMES: Three Hitmen prospects have been named to play in the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Forward Sean Tschigerl will suit up for Team Alberta with defenceman Tyson Galloway on Team British Columbia and defenceman Rory Neill on Manitoba. The tournament will be held in Red Deer from Feb. 16-22.
CORRAL SERIES: The Hitmen will play a trio of games this season at the historic Stampede Corral. Tickets start at $29.25 for adults and $21.75 for kids (plus applicable Ticketmaster fees and taxes). Also available is the three-game pack for $69 (plus applicable Ticketmaster fees and taxes). "The Corral Series" presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports, will see Calgary 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 are 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 Corral home by wearing commemorative jerseys of the Calgary Centennials, Wranglers and Cowboys. The series features 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.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Carl Stankowski (2-4 weeks, lower body), Tye Carriere (2 weeks, upper body).
IN THE COMMUNITY: The Hitmen will be hosting an open practice at the Siksika Sportsplex on the Siksika Nation starting at 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 15. Hitmen Hockey staff will host a general coaching info session for coaches and parents from 5:00-6:00 p.m. on the upper level of the rink followed by a post-practice meet and greet with Hitmen players, dinner and ceremony. Due to limited space, interested participants must preregister before Jan. 10 with Jody at
403-734-5318.
ALUMNUS REPORT: Jakob Stukel, who played part of three seasons with the Hitmen from 2015-2018, is in the ECHL with the Wichita Thunder. The 21-year-old forward from Surrey, BC has 15 points (7g, 8a) in 32 games. In 198 career games with the Hitmen, Stukel notched 173 points.
HITMEN VS: (BDN 1-0), (EDM 1-2-1-0), (EVT 0-1), (KAM 1-0), (KEL 1-0), (KTN 2-1), (LET 1-3), (MH 1-1), (MJ 2-0), (POR 1-0), (PA 0-2), (PG 0-0), (RD 1-4-1-0), (REG 0-0-1-0), (SAS 1-2), (SEA 1-0), (SPO 1-0), (SC 1-0), (TC 0-0-0-1), (VAN 1-0), (VIC 1-0).
UPCOMING GAMES
All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.
DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
Jan. 9 at Moose Jaw 6:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Jan. 11 at Saskatoon 6:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Jan. 12 at Prince Albert 6:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Jan. 19 at Edmonton 1:30 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Jan. 20 vs. Red Deer 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
PROMO CALENDAR
Upcoming home game highlights include:
- Today vs. MH is Wizarding Day
- Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill on Jan. 20 vs. RD
- 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.
- Family Game and Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill 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 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
- Hunter Campbell is four games away from 100.
- Kaden Elder eclipsed the 100 point mark last night against Red Deer.
- James Malm played career game 200 and surpassed 100 WHL assists on Dec. 30 against Vancouver.
- Riley Stotts played career game 150 on Dec. 28 while Jack McNaughton passed 500 saves that same night.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2019
- Royals Shoot Past Rebels - Victoria Royals
- Fonstad, Gregor Lead Raiders To Win Over Blades - Prince Albert Raiders
- Blades Fall Behind Early, Can't Catch Raiders - Saskatoon Blades
- Hawks Shutout Moose Jaw on the Road - Portland Winterhawks
- Pats Blanked by Broncos, 1-0 - Regina Pats
- Winning Streak Snapped - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Hitmen Complete Perfect Homestand - Calgary Hitmen
- Step-By-Step Instructions to Bid on Retro 'K' Jerseys Online - Kootenay Ice
- Preview: Blades Head North for Saturday Night Showdown - Saskatoon Blades
- Winterhawks Game Day Preview: Portland at Moose Jaw - Game #39 - Portland Winterhawks
- ICE Welcome Spokane for Final Time this Season - Kootenay Ice
- Game 41 at Calgary - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, January 5 vs. Medicine Hat - Calgary Hitmen
- Game Day Preview: Pats Continue Busy Weekend in Swift Current - Regina Pats
- Americans Overcome Two Goal Deficit, Beat Silvertips 3-2 - Tri-City Americans
- Cougars Pass Kelowna in Shootout - Prince George Cougars
- ICE Fall 5-3 to Tigers - Kootenay Ice
- Americans Deal Silvertips 3-2 Setback - Everett Silvertips
- Cougars outduel Rockets in shootout - Kelowna Rockets
- Rebels Struggle Defensively in Loss to Hitmen - Red Deer Rebels
- Tigers Win 5 Straight - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Giants Fall Just Short in a 4-3 Loss to Lethbridge - Vancouver Giants
- Anderson-Dolan, Smith, and Kral Make Return as Chiefs Top Blazers, 4-1 - Spokane Chiefs
- Wheat Kings Erupt against T-Birds - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Broncos Drop Fourth Straight to Winterhawks 5-3 - Swift Current Broncos
- Rookie Cranks OT Winner over Pats - Saskatoon Blades
- Hitmen Use Home Ice to Down Rebels - Calgary Hitmen
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.
