WHL Calgary Hitmen

Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, March 7 vs. Spokane

March 7, 2020 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


CALGARY HITMEN (35-23-4-1, 75 pts.) vs. SPOKANE CHIEFS (39-18-4-1, 83 pts.)

Saturday, March 7, 2020 - 7:00 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome

TODAY'S GAME

The Calgary Hitmen return home following a three-game road trip to host the Spokane Chiefs tonight. Game time is 7:00 p.m. for Multicultural Night at Scotiabank Saddledome. Fans will also receive a FREE mini-stick and be entered into a draw for an autographed team jersey when they make a cash donation to the Calgary Food Bank. Money will be collected at the Purolator #TackleHunger concourse booth located behind section 223 until the end of the second intermission. The Hitmen are coming off last night's 6-1 loss in Medicine Hat. Rookie forward Cole Sillinger led the Tigers with a pair of goals while Baxter Anderson, Cyle McNabb, Ryan Chyzowski and Jonathan Brinkman added singles. Mark Kastelic, on a second period power play, notched the lone marker for Calgary. The Tigers outshot the Hitmen 45-29 and were aided by eight power play chances including a pair of lengthy 5-on-3 opportunities.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Webcast: WHL Live at whllive.com

ATTACHMENT: Media Kit

STREAKS

- Mark Kastelic (14g, 7a) is on a 13-game point streak.

- Kyle Olson (4a) has points in three consecutive games.

- Jett Woo (2a) is on a two-game assist streak.

- Riley Stotts (3g, 7a) had his nine-game point streak end last night in Medicine Hat while a two-game goal scoring run for Cael Zimmerman (3g, 1a) and a two-game point streak for Carson Focht (1g, 3a) were also halted.

NOTEWORTHY

WHERE THEY STAND: Calgary, at 75 points, holds the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference sitting six points up on Saskatoon. The Blades, who have two games in hand, are in Regina tonight. The Chiefs, at 83 points can finish no lower than third in the U.S. Division but trail second place Portland by 10 points.

VS. SPOKANE: Tonight is the first and only regular season game of 2019-20 between the Hitmen and Chiefs. Calgary took their lone meeting last season at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena by a score of 5-1.

2018-19 RECAP

Nov. 17/18 in SPO: CGY 5 SPO 1...Mark Kastelic netted a hat-trick while Riley Stotts scored twice.

INSIDE THE GAME

Shots on Goal: CGY 29 SPO 34 Power Plays: CGY 2-2 (100%) SPO 1-2 (50%)

Tonight marks the first visit to the 'Dome for Spokane since a 6-4 victory on Oct. 24, 2017. That night Chiefs defenceman Nolan Reid collected four points with a goal and three assists.

FAMIALIR FACE: Tonight marks the first meeting between the two teams since their Jan. 9, 2020 trade that saw the Hitmen acquire 18-year-old forward Connor Gabruch from the Chiefs in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. Gabruch appeared in 84 games with Spokane over parts of two seasons. During that time he recorded 13 points (6g, 7a).

DID YOU KNOW? Calgary Hitmen prospect Mason Finley is the younger brother of Chiefs forward Jack Finley. Mason was Calgary's fifth-round pick, 101st overall, in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft. The 15-year-old has 53 points (24g, 29a) in 32 games for the Okanagan Rockets of the BC Minor Midget League. Jack is having a career year with the Chiefs. The 17-year-old is fifth in team scoring with 55 points (19g, 36a). Their dad Jeff played 708 career games in the NHL from 1987 to 2004. The majority of his time was spent with the St. Louis Blues.

FAST FACTS: Calgary is 1-2-0-1 against the U.S. Division...Today is Calgary's seventh game in 10 days while for the visiting Chiefs, it's their sixth game in nine days...This season the Hitmen have drawn the fewest power play chances in the league at 190. On the flip side, Kamloops leads the WHL with 280 chances...Calgary has scored at least one power play goal in eight of their last 10 games...Hitmen goaltender Brayden Peters is tied for the 11th best goals against average in the WHL with Max Paddock of Prince Albert at 2.66. Peters also leads all rookie goalies in minutes played...Mark Kastelic tops the WHL in face-off wins with 840 and is fifth in goals with 38. Carson Focht is tied for 11th in goals with 32.

ALUMNUS OF THE GAME: This 25h anniversary season, the Hitmen in partnership with Adrenalin Source for Sports, are honouring an alumnus at each home game. Today's alumnus, Michael Murray spent four seasons with the Hitmen from 2000 to 2004 in the dual role of Equipment Manager and Athletic Therapist. Including playoffs, he worked over 300 games.

POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet Hitmen defenceman Andrew Viggars after today's game. He will be signing autographs at the Hitmen Booster Club table located behind section 212.

ROSTER MOVE: On Wednesday, the Hitmen recalled 16-year-old prospect Rory Neill from the Winnipeg Wild of the Manitoba Midget Hockey League. Neill made his WHL debut that night against Saskatoon and played again last night in Medicine Hat. In 35 games with the Wild this season, the puck moving defenceman posted 52 points (14g, 38a) and was named a MMHL second team all-star. The Wild are still in the playoffs where Neill has added three assists in two post season games. He was a third round pick of Calgary, 62nd overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft.

HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: Calgary is 18-11-1-1 at home, grabbing points in 15 of their last 22 games while posting a 13-7-1-1 record at the 'Dome. Spokane is 18-9-2-1 on the road having won six straight in enemy buildings.

WHAT'S LEFT: Counting today, of Calgary's five remaining regular season games, three are at home and two on the road with four of the five games against teams from their own division.

PLAYOFF BOUND: On. Feb. 22 in Kamloops, the Hitmen clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season and for the eighth time in nine years. Overall this will mark Calgary's 21st post-season appearance in their 25 year club history. As for who they will face in the opening round, it is currently anyone of six teams in; Brandon, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Saskatoon or Winnipeg.

MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Riley Fiddler-Schultz (upper body, week-to-week), Luke Prokop (lower body, week-to-week), Josh Prokop (lower body, week-to-week), Andrew Viggars (upper body, indefinite), Egor Zamula (upper body, 3 months). Total man-games lost: 163.

THE POWER OF THREE: The Hitmen are 32-9-2-0 when holding the opposition to three goals or less. Conversely, Calgary is 3-14-2-1 when giving up four or more goals.

HITMEN PLEDGE: The countdown is on to the end of 'The Hitmen Pledge powered by ENMAX' where one lucky participant will win $25,000 for a charity of their choice. This community initiative, happening during the 25th anniversary season of Hitmen hockey, aims to raise 25,000 hours of service for Calgary and surrounding area with over 19,000 volunteer hours recorded thus far. For every 25 hours donated, volunteers receive one entry to the March 22nd $25,000 draw to then gift to a registered Southern Alberta charity. All volunteer hours donated between the September 27, 2019 launch and pledge submission deadline of March 15, 2020 are eligible to be entered. Full details can be found at https://hitmenhockey.com/pledge.

HITMEN ALUMNUS: Brady Brassart, who played three seasons with the Hitmen from 2011-14, is in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch. The 26-year-old forward has 11 points (3g, 8a) in 61 games. Brassart tallied 222 career points with the Hitmen (95g, 127a) in 205 games to sit 10th on the clubs all-time regular season points list.

UPCOMING GAMES

All times MT. Schedule subject to change.

Date Opponent Time Broadcast

Sat., Mar. 14 at RD 7:00 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Sun., Mar. 15 vs. RD 2:00 PM Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Fri., Mar. 20 at SC 7:00 PM Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Sun., Mar. 22 vs. SC 2:00 PM Sportsnet 960-The Fan

PROMO CALENDAR

Hitmen single game tickets are on sale at all Ticketmaster locations. Upcoming home game highlights include:

- Multicultural Night on Mar. 7 vs. SPO. Fans can also make a cash donation to the Purolator #TackleHunger concourse booth located behind section 223. All money collected goes to the Calgary Food Bank.

- WHL Suits Up to Promote Organ Donation presented by RE/MAX on Mar. 15 vs. RD.

- Fan Appreciation presented by Vision Travel on Mar. 22 vs. SC.

CAREER MILESTONE WATCH

- Mark Kastelic is two points behind Ryan White for sixth place on the clubs all-time points list. White collected 237 points in four seasons with the club.

- Riley Stotts is four games shy of 250.

- Jackson van de Leest and Dakota Krebs are both one assist away from 50.

- Jack McNaughton is one save behind Mike Snider for eighth place on the clubs all-time saves list. Snider totaled 1,808.

- Brayden Peters eclipsed 2,000 career minutes played on Wednesday in Saskatoon.

Check out the Calgary Hitmen Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2020


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