Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, March 20 vs. Lethbridge
March 20, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (2-3-1-0, 5 pts.) vs. LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES (3-3-0-0, 6 pts.)
Saturday, March 20, 2021 - 7:00 p.m. MT - Seven Chiefs Sportsplex
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen play their second game in as many days tonight against the Hurricanes this time tonight at home against Lethbridge. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut'ina Nation. Lethbridge took the opener last night by a score of 3-1. Justin Hall, at even strength in the first period and Dino Kambeitz, shorthanded in the middle frame, staked the Hurricanes to a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes. Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop pulled Calgary to within a goal with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation but with goaltender Brayden Peters on the bench for the extra attacker, Chase Wheatcroft found the empty net for the Hurricanes to seal the victory. Calgary outshot Lethbridge 35-29 as 'Canes goaltender Bryan Thomson made 34 saves in a first-star performance while Peters was named the third star for turning aside 26 shots in the Hitmen net.
BROADCAST INFORMATION Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Webcast: WHL Live at watch.chl.ca
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STREAKS
- Josh Prokop (2g, 2a) is on a four-game point streak. That ties a career best for the Edmonton, AB product who recorded a pair of four-game point streaks last season.
- Riley Fiddler-Schultz (1g, 1a) has points in back-to-back games and in three of his last four (2g, 2a) outings.
NOTEWORTHY BROADCAST NEWS: Under AHS COVID-19 protocols, fans are not permitted to enter WHL facilities but are invited to watch games with a subscription to the all-new WHL Live on CHL TV at watch.chl.ca. Tonight's game is also available on the Sportsnet 960-The Fan alternate radio stream at http://player2.sportsnet960.ca/?skipap=1
HITMEN STATS PACK: Defenceman Luke Prokop tops the team in shots on goal this season with 25 while Riley Fiddler-Schultz is next with 22...A total of 17 Hitmen have at least a single point including goaltender Brayden Peters who has an assist....Josh Prokop and Grayden Siepmann are tied for the team lead in plus/minus at +4....The Hitmen are 2-1 on home ice at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex....Eight Hitmen have at least one shot on goal in all six games this season in Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Zac Funk, Connor Gabruch, Adam Kydd, Josh Prokop, Luke Prokop, Sean Tschigerl and Jackson van de Leest.
FAST FACTS: The Hitmen power play is 0-18 to start the season. However three of Calgary's top-4 power play point producers from last season have graduated to pro hockey in Jett Woo (4g, 21a), Carson Focht (9g, 10a) and Mark Kastelic (10g, 8a)...Tonight is Game 7 of 24 for the Hitmen in this abbreviated 2021 campaign....As a team, Calgary is 58.5% on face-offs.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Conrad Mitchell (day-to-day, upper body).
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Forward Cael Zimmerman is in his fourth season in the Western Hockey League. The 19-year-old product of Englefeld, Saskatchewan was Calgary's second round pick, 44th overall, in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. During his first season he took home the Hitmen RE/MAX Rookie of the Year Award. In 160 career WHL games, Zimmerman has recorded 59 points (21g, 38a).
ALUMNI UPDATE: Chris Driedger, who played three seasons with the Hitmen from 2011-14 and is second in all-time wins with 88, is in the NHL with the Florida Panthers. The 26-year-old goalie is 7-3-2 with a 2.40 goals against average and .920 save percentage.
HOW THE HITMEN WERE BUILT (22): WHL Bantam Draft (13): Fiddler-Schultz, Funk*, Galloway, Neill*, Peters, L. Prokop, Siepmann*, Toth, Tschigerl, van de Leest, Whynott* Zandee*, Zimmerman Listed (4); Kydd, McNaughton, Palfreyman*, Wiesblatt Trade (5): Allan, Gabruch, Mitchell, J. Prokop, Stotts *Denotes rookie
UPCOMING GAMES: The Calgary Hitmen schedule is finalized to the end of March. Here are the next three; Sunday, March 21 Calgary Hitmen at Lethbridge Hurricanes - 6 p.m. MT Friday, March 26 Calgary Hitmen at Edmonton Oil Kings - 7 p.m. MT Saturday, March 27 Edmonton Oil Kings at Calgary Hitmen - 2 p.m. MT
PROMO CALENDAR
Every weekend in March, fans in the province can purchase tickets to the Jackpots for Junior Hockey 50/50 presented by RE/MAX.
Sales close Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. As of 7:45 a.m. this morning, this week's jackpot was at $14,815. Proceeds support the WHL's 5 Alberta based teams and the AJHL's 15 teams.
Full details at whl.ca/50-50.
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Jack McNaughton needs 24 saves to tie Justin Pogge for seventh place on the clubs all-time saves lists at 1,891.
- Orca Wiesblatt is one assist shy of 50.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2021
- Korchinski Registers First WHL Point as T-Birds Fall to Winterhawks - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Power Play Pushes Warriors Past Broncos - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Undisciplined Play Costs Broncos against Warriors - Swift Current Broncos
- Leppard Keen to Make Season Count - Winnipeg Ice
- 'It Meant the Whole World': Blades Welcome Bobby Kirkness into the Stands - Saskatoon Blades
- Game Day Hub: March 20 - Portland Winterhawks
- Fundraising Efforts to Support Colby Cave Memorial Fund - Swift Current Broncos
- Preview - Wheat Kings vs Pats - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, March 20 vs. Lethbridge - Calgary Hitmen
- Sound Transit Silvertips Hockey Returns to KRKO for All 2021 Season Games - Everett Silvertips
- Blades Take Top Spot in East; Knock off Raiders 3-1 - Saskatoon Blades
- Raiders Season-Opening Point Streak Ends Against the Blades - Prince Albert Raiders
- T-Birds Open Season with Shootout Win over Spokane - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Rebels Surrender Three Man-Advantage Markers in Shutout Loss to Oil Kings - Red Deer Rebels
- Williams Hat-Trick Powers Oil Kings to Fifth Straight Win - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Hitmen Dropped by Hurricanes - Calgary Hitmen
- Beckman Shines in Season-Opening Shootout Defeat - Spokane Chiefs
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