WHL Calgary Hitmen

Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, October 20 at Brandon

October 20, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


CALGARY HITMEN (3-6-2-0, 8 pts.) at BRANDON WHEAT KINGS (6-1-1-1, 14 pts.)

Saturday, October 20, 2018 - 6:30 p.m. MT - Westoba Place

TODAY'S GAME

The Calgary Hitmen play Game 4 of a five-game road trip tonight in Brandon against the Wheat Kings. The Hitmen are 2-1 on the swing following last night's 5-1 win in Moose Jaw. Goaltender Carl Stankowski made 30 saves in a first-star performance to lead Calgary to their first victory over the Warriors since January 6, 2015, snapping an 11-game losing streak. Captain Mark Kastelic paced the visitors with three points scoring twice and adding an assist. Jake Kryski, Cael Zimmerman and Josh Prokop, into an empty net, added singles. Special teams also played a major role with Calgary leading 2-0 in the third period, the Hitmen scored twice on a 5-on-3 power play to put the Warriors in a deep hole. Conversely the Hitmen penalty kill blanked Moose Jaw on four chances. Calgary outshot the home side 36-31 while rookie Alex Sukunda provided the lone goal for the Warriors.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com

________________________________

STREAKS

- Mark Kastelic (5g, 6a) and Kaden Elder (3g, 4a) are riding season high five-game point streaks.

- Josh Prokop (3g, 1a) and Carson Focht (1g, 2a) both have points in back-to-back games while goalie Carl Stankowski has won back-to-back starts.

- Jake Kryski (3g, 3a) has points in four of his last five games.

NOTEWORTHY

VS BRANDON: Tonight is the first of four meetings between the Hitmen and Wheat Kings. Brandon swept the season series in 2017-18 outscoring Calgary by a combined 21-12. The Hitmen have lost five in a row to Brandon. The last time they beat the Wheat Kings was on Feb. 22, 2017. That night Jake Kryski scored the shootout winner in a 4-3 victory at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

2017-18 SERIES RECAP

Oct. 8/17 in CGY: BDN 5 CGY 3...Brandon built a 4-0 lead through 40 minutes.

Nov. 14/17 at BDN: BDN 6 CGY 5 OT...Ty Lewis scored the winner 27 seconds into the extra session.

Jan. 12/18 at BDN: BDN 4 CGY 1...The Wheat Kings fired 40 shots on goal.

Feb. 25/18 in CGY: BDN 6 CGY 3...Logan Thompson made 45 saves in the Wheat Kings net.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Shots on Goal: CGY 150 BDN 127 Power Plays: CGY 4-18 (22.2%) BDN 2-15 (33.3%)

HEATING UP: Calgary is on a two-game winning streak and is 3-1-1-0 in their last five games.

NHL WATCH: On Oct. 1, 110 players from the Canadian Hockey League were listed among NHL Central Scouting's October 'Players to Watch' list for the 2019 NHL Draft. Among them was Hitmen defenceman Jackson van de Leest who received a 'C rating' which indicates fourth/fifth/sixth round candidate. The second year Hitmen blueliner was Calgary's first-round pick, 16th overall, in the 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

WORLD STAGE: Luke Prokop has been selected to play for Hockey Canada at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. The eight-team tournament will take place from Nov. 3-10 in Saint John and Quispamsis, N.B. The 16-year-old will become the 28th player in franchise history to participate in the tournament joining fellow teammates Jackson van de Leest (2017), Carson Focht (2016), Jake Kryski (2014), Tristen Nielsen (2016), Carl Stankowski (2016) and Riley Stotts (2016) who have also played in the international event. Focht and Nielsen won gold with Canada White while van de Leest helped Canada Red capture silver. This past July, Prokop was one of 112 players who attended Canada's national under-17 development camp and introduced to the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Defenceman Layne Toder is in his second season in the Western Hockey League. The 18-year-old product of Elkhorn, Manitoba was Calgary's fourth-round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. Toder, who has played 80 career games in the WHL, is second on the team in plus/minus this season at +4.

CORRAL SERIES: The Hitmen will play a trio of regular season games this season at the historic Stampede Corral. "The Corral Series" presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports, will see the Hitmen 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 will be 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 Stampede Corral home by wearing commemorative jerseys of the Calgary Centennials, Calgary Wranglers and Calgary Cowboys. The series will feature 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. Tickets go on sale Nov. 26.

RECENT MOVES: On Oct. 6 the Hitmen acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2020 from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for defencemen Dom Schmiemann. On Oct. 4 the Hitmen reassigned goaltender Matthew Armitage and forward Orca Wiesblatt. Armitage, a 19-year-old from Creston, BC, played 20 games for the Hitmen during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons while Wiesblatt, an 18-year-old Calgary product, played in 51 contests with the Hitmen during that same time. On Sept. 27 the Hitmen acquired 20-year-old forward Kaden Elder from the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2019 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft. The addition of Elder, rounds out Calgary's overage group giving the Hitmen a league maximum of three with Luke Coleman and Jake Kryski. On Sept. 26 Calgary added Josh Prokop to the roster. He had started the season in the BCHL with the Vernon Vipers. The Hitmen acquired the rights to Prokop last season in a trade with the Swift Current Broncos.

HITMEN IN THE NHL: Nine graduates of the Calgary Hitmen are in the National Hockey League this season. They include: Ryan Getzlaf (ANA), Michael Stone (CGY), Victor Rask (CAR), Karl Alzner (MTL), Andrew Ladd (NYI), Johnny Boychuk (NYI), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Martin Jones (SJS), and Jake Virtanen (VAN).

HITMEN GO GREEN: On Sept. 26, National Tree Day, the Calgary Hitmen announced their participation in an environmental initiative called One Ticket, One Tree. The Hitmen will begin a pilot project where a tree will be planted for reforestation projects in the province for each game day and group ticket sold to the One Ticket, One Tree game when they host the Oil Kings on Mar. 8 at 7:00 p.m. In addition, Hitmen players will be in the community this season doing their part to reduce their ecological footprint and bring awareness to local environmental issues.

HITMEN VS: (BDN 0-0), (EDM 0-1), (EVT 0-0), (KAM 0-0), (KEL 0-0), (KTN 0-1), (LET 1-0), (MH 0-0), (MJ 1-0), (POR 0-0), (PA 0-2), (PG 0-0), (RD 0-1-1-0), (REG 0-0-1-0), (SAS 1-1), (SEA 0-0), (SPO 0-0), (SC 0-0), (TC 0-0), (VAN 0-0), (VIC 0-0).

PROSPECT WATCH: Tristan Zandee, Calgary's second-round pick, 36th overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft is off to a blazing start this season. The 15-year-old is playing AAA Midget with the Airdrie CFR Chemicals Bisons. In six games Zandee has nine points (5g, 4a) to lead his team in scoring.

TICKET SPECIALS: The 2018-19 Hitmen Hockey Pass is on sale and includes 34 game tickets to be used anytime, in any combination. Pass holders also receive a $50 Scotiabank Saddledome gift card and a complimentary ticket to a select Flames, Roughnecks or Stampeders game. Passes start at less than $7 per ticket for kids and under $15 for adults. Also available is the 10-game Hitmen Flex Pack to be used for any game, in any combination. Students and kids tickets are $10 per game, adults and seniors $20. Applicable fees and taxes apply. Visit HitmenHockey.com to score yours today!

UPCOMING GAMES

All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.

DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST

Oct. 23 at Red Deer 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Oct. 26 vs. Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Oct. 28 vs. Saskatoon 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Nov. 2 vs. Medicine Hat 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Nov. 3 vs. Red Deer 1:30 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

PROMO CALENDAR

- Roughnecks Night on Oct. 26 vs. LET

- Hometown Heroes on Oct. 28 vs. SAS

- Diwali Celebration on Nov. 3 vs. RD

- The Brick Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 9 vs. KAM

- Carols for Christmas on Dec. 14 vs. KEL

- Novice Jamboree on Dec. 16 vs. LET

- Soccer Day on Dec. 30 vs. VAN

- Airdrie Day on Jan. 1 vs. VIC

- Wizarding Day on Jan. 5 vs. MH

- 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. Tickets on sale starting Nov. 26

- Family Game 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 on Mar. 3 vs. KTN

- One Ticket, One Tree on Mar. 8 vs. EDM

- Fan Appreciation on Mar. 17 vs. EDM

MILESTONE WATCH

- Ryder Korczak picked up an assist last night in Moose Jaw for his first-career WHL point while Devan Klassen grabbed his first-career WHL point with an assist in Saskatoon on Wednesday.

Check out the Calgary Hitmen Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2018


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.

OurSports Central