Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, March 2 at Kootenay
March 2, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (33-22-5-1, 72 pts.) at KOOTENAY ICE (12-39-7-3, 34 pts.)
Saturday, March 2, 2019 - 7:00 p.m. MT - Western Financial Place
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen open a home-and-home set with the Kootenay ICE tonight in Cranbrook. The Hitmen are riding a three-game winning streak following last night's 3-2 home ice overtime victory against Brandon. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Riley Stotts scored the game winner, 2:09 into the extra session. It was a come-from-behind triumph for Calgary which trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes. Mark Kastelic netted the tying goal 7:59 into the third period, his team-leading 44th of the season. James Malm provided the other Hitmen goal with Egor Zamula adding two assists on a night where they outshot Brandon 42-21. Connor Gutenberg and Caiden Dailey were the only Wheat Kings to beat rookie goalie Jack McNaughton, with McNaughton notching his 23rd win on the season.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
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STREAKS
- Three Hitmen take four-game point streaks into tonight's game: Carson Focht (4g, 7a), James Malm (5g, 4a) and Egor Zamula (6a).
- Luke Coleman (2g, 2a) and Riley Stotts (1g, 4a) are both on three-game point streaks.
- Mark Kastelic (2g, 2a) has points in back-to-back games.
- Jack McNaughton has won his last three starts posting a 1.98 goals against average and .897 save percentage.
- Kaden Elder (3g, 3a) saw his three-game point streak end last night against Brandon.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. KOOTENAY: Tonight is the fifth of six regular season meetings between the Hitmen and ICE. Calgary is 3-1 against Kootenay having outscored the ICE by a combined 19-9. Carson Focht (1g, 4a) and James Malm (1g, 4a) lead the Hitmen in the season series with five points each while Jake Kryski (3g, 1a) and Cael Zimmerman (4a) are next with four. The departed Brett Davis (2g, 1a) and Peyton Krebs (1g, 2a) are the top-performers for Kootenay with three points each. Calgary is 8-3-1 in their last 12 visits to Cranbrook.
2018-19 SERIES RECAP
Sept. 22/18 at KTN: KTN 5 CGY 3...After giving up the first goal, Kootenay struck for four straight.
Nov. 11/18 in CGY: CGY 7 KTN 3...Carson Focht and James Malm both recorded four points each.
Nov. 16/18 at KTN: CGY 5 KTN 0...Jack McNaughton made 19 saves for his first-career shutout.
Jan. 27/19 in CGY: CGY 4 ICE 1...Calgary jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the game was seven minutes old.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 150 KTN 106 Power Plays: CGY 5-15 (33.3%) KTN 4-21 (19.1%)
PLAYOFF CHASE: With seven games to go in the regular season, Calgary is third in the Central Division sitting four points ahead of Red Deer which occupies the first Eastern Conference Wildcard spot. Looking up, the Hitmen are six points behind Lethbridge for second in the division. Red Deer is off until Sunday when they visit Saskatoon while Lethbridge is in Regina tonight.
HOME AND AWAY: Calgary is 14-13-2-1 on the road this season while Kootenay is 8-19-3-0 at home.
FAST FACTS: During Wednesday's victory over Swift Current, Carson Focht became the first Hitmen player since Brock Nixon to score four goals in a game. Nixon netted his four markers in a 9-2 home ice win against Brandon on Jan. 27, 2008. Pavel Brendl holds the franchise record for most goals in a single game with five, set on Nov. 11, 2000...Including today, Calgary has three home games left in the regular season and four on the road ...Mark Kastelic has 14 multi-goal games this season...Since January 1, Calgary has posted a record of 23-8-3-0...The Hitmen have only been outshot once in the last 17 games...James Malm has scored a career-high 28 goals.
ROSTER MOVES: Following last night's game the Hitmen returned 18-year-old forward Orca Wiesbatt to the MJHL's Portage Terriers. On Monday the Hitmen recalled 15-year-old forward Zac Funk from the BCMMHL's Fraser Valley Thunderbirds where he leads the team in scoring with 55 points (33g, 22a) in 36 games. Funk made his WHL debut Wednesday against Swift Current and in two games has six shots on goal. The transactions leave Calgary with seven defencemen, two goalies and 14 forwards.
HITMEN MONTH-BY-MONTH: September (0-3-1-0), October (4-6-1-0), November (6-5-0-1), December (6-2-1-0), January (9-3-0-0), February (7-3-2-0), March (1-0-0-0).
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 85 career goals have him tied for 14th on the clubs all-time goal scoring list with Jake Virtanen, trailing Brett Sonne by four markers for 13th spot. Brad Moran holds the franchise record with 204.
WHL TOP 15: Mark Kastelic is third in the WHL in goals with 44, his 71 points sit tied for 15th and his 23 power play markers lead the league. Egor Zamula is seventh in defencemen scoring with 51 points. Dakota Krebs is tied for 12th in plus/minus among defenceman at +24.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Jake Kryski (indefinite, upper body). Hunter Campbell (indefinite, lower body), Cael Zimmerman (week-to-week, upper body).
PROSPECT WATCH: James Gibson, Calgary's fourth-round pick, 71st overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft is having an excellent season. The 15-year-old is playing in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League with the OHA Edmonton Elite 15's. In 31 games Gibson has 43 points (24g, 19a) to lead his team in scoring.
HITMEN ALUMNUS: Tyler Fiddler, who played parts of four seasons with the Hitmen from 2007-11, is playing pro hockey in Denmark. He has 41 points (17g, 24a) in 36 games with Rungsted Ishockey. Fiddler recorded 103 points (43g, 60a) in 175 games while with Calgary. That has him 50th all-time on the franchise's regular season points list. The 28-year-old was also a member of the 2010 WHL Champion Hitmen.
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.
CAREER YEARS: With 11.8 percent of the regular seasons schedule remaining, Eleven Hitmen have set new career highs in point totals. Their previous best is in brackets: Mark Kastelic 71pts (45), James Malm 69pts (66), Kaden Elder 56pts (32), Carson Focht 53pts (33), Riley Stotts 52pts (44), Egor Zamula 51pts (18), Cael Zimmerman 25pts (18), Dakota Krebs 20pts (16), Jackson van de Leest 20pts (5) and Hunter Campbell 13pts (11), Layne Toder 11pts (10).
UPCOMING GAMES
All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.
DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
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)
Mar. 8 vs. Edmonton 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 9 at Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 16 at Edmonton 2:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
PROMO CALENDAR
Upcoming home game highlights include:
- RE/MAX Presents: WHL Suits up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation, Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill and RE/MAX Chuck-A-Puck on Mar. 3 vs. KTN
- One Ticket, One Tree on Mar. 8 vs. EDM
- Hitmen Player Awards, Fan Appreciation and Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill on Mar. 17 vs. EDM
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Vladislav Yeryomenko is four points shy of 100.
- Riley Stotts needs three goals for 50.
- Jack McNaughton reached 1,000 saves on Wednesday against Swift Current.
- Devan Klassen scored his first career WHL goal last Saturday in Swift Current.
- Jackson van de Leest played game 100 in Regina on Feb. 22.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2019
- Dureau Ends It in Overtime - Portland Winterhawks
- WHL Mourns Passing of Donn Clark - WHL
- Portland Outlasts Rockets in OT - Kelowna Rockets
- T-Birds Gain Point in Wild Card Race in Overtime Loss to Tips - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Hitmen Win Fourth Straight - Calgary Hitmen
- Raiders Doubled Up By Warriors In Moose Jaw - Prince Albert Raiders
- 2019 #WHLPlayoffs Clinching Scenarios - March 2 - Tri-City Americans
- Second Period Dooms Pats - Regina Pats
- Cranbrook Colts Jersey Silent Auction Begins Tonight - Kootenay Ice
- Winterhawks Game Day Preview: Portland at Kelowna - Game #62 - Portland Winterhawks
- Game 62 vs Swift Current - Medicine Hat Tigers
- ICE Welcome Hitmen on Special ICE Hall of Fame Night - Kootenay Ice
- Cougars Can't Fight Back from Early Deficit - Prince George Cougars
- Hitmen Edge Wheat Kings in Overtime - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, March 2 at Kootenay - Calgary Hitmen
- Game Day Preview: Pats Host Afternoon Affair with Lethbridge Hurricanes Saturday - Regina Pats
- Americans Defeated 2-1 After Silvertips Score Two Late Goals - Tri-City Americans
- Giants Kick off March with a 7-4 Home Win over Rockets - Vancouver Giants
- Portland Drops Weekend Opener to Spokane - Portland Winterhawks
- Silvertips Rally Late to Gain OT Victory - Everett Silvertips
- ICE Begin March Schedule with 5-3 Victory over Broncos - Kootenay Ice
- Royals Edge Cougars - Victoria Royals
- Broncos Offence Comes Alive in Third But Fall to ICE - Swift Current Broncos
- Tigers Drop 4-2 Decision in Edmonton - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Giants Overwhelm Rockets, 7-4 - Kelowna Rockets
- T-Birds Extinguish Blazers to Extend Wild Card Playoff Lead - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Maier Pitches Shutout for Blades 40th Victory - Saskatoon Blades
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