WHL Calgary Hitmen

Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Sunday, December 2 vs. Moose Jaw

December 2, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


CALGARY HITMEN (11-14-2-1, 25 pts.) vs. MOOSE JAW WARRIORS (15-5-3-1, 34 pts.)

Sunday, December 2, 2018 - 4:00 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome

TODAY'S GAME

The Calgary Hitmen wrap up a three games in three days weekend this afternoon with a 4:00 p.m. matinee against the Moose Jaw Warriors at Scotiabank Saddledome. It's Tim Hortons Timbits Hockey Day featuring a first intermission Timbits hockey game and Sunday Funday where activities include face painters, concourse activities, giveaways and a post-game family skate that is FREE with a game ticket. Sunday Funday features a specially priced $9.99 ticket for kids 12 and under and a $14.99 ticket for adults (plus applicable fees and taxes).

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com

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STREAKS

- Jake Kryski (3g, 4a) is on a five-game point streak. His season high is six games.

- Kaden Elder (1g, 2a), Mark Kastelic (1g, 1a) and Vladislav Yeryomenko (2a) all have points in back-to-back games.

NOTEWORTHY

LAST GAME RECAP: The Hitmen were 4-3 overtime winners against Edmonton last night at the 'Dome. Kaden Elder tipped home the game winner 2:30 into the extra session. Jake Kryski turned in a first-star performance setting up Elder's goal while scoring a pair of markers himself for a team-leading three points. Bryce Bader collected Calgary's opening goal for his first in the Western Hockey League. Brett Kemp, Quinn Benjafield and Trey Fix-Wolansky replied for Edmonton which trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes. Calgary outshot the Oil Kings 31-29 and also won the special teams battle going 1-3 on the power play while killing all three shorthanded situations.

VS. MOOSE JAW: Today is the second of four regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Warriors. Calgary snapped an 11-game losing streak to Moose Jaw with a 5-1 mid-October win in Saskatchewan. Mark Kastelic (2g, 1a) is Calgary's top performer in the season series with three points while eight other Hitmen skaters have a single point. Alek Sukunda has the lone Warriors goal. Over the last five years Calgary is 0-5-1-0 at home against Moose Jaw.

2018-19 SERIES RECAP

Oct. 19/18 at MJ: CGY 5 MJ 1...Carl Stankowski made 30 saves in a first-star performance.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Shots on Goal: CGY 36 MJ 31 Power Plays: CGY 2-3 (66.7%) MJ 0-4 (0%)

RECENT RUN: Calgary has picked up 11 of a possible 16 points in their last eight games posting a record of 5-2-0-1. Special teams have been a major driver with the power play going a combined 8-23 (34.8%) while the penalty kill is 29-32 (90.6%).

WHL TOP 15: Mark Kastelic is tied for third in the WHL in goals with 22 while his 34 points share 13th place. Josh Prokop is tied for 11th in rookie scoring with 13 points.

ROSTER MOVES: On Thursday, the Hitmen announced goaltender Carl Stankowski will miss six to eight weeks with an ankle injury. As a result they have added Brayden Peters to the roster as an affiliate player. The 16-year-old product of Taber, AB has played AAA Midget with the Lethbridge Hurricanes this season. In 16 games he is 8-2 with a league-leading 1.76 goals against average, two shutouts and .929 save percentage. Peters was selected by Calgary in the fifth round, 95th overall, in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft.

FAST FACTS: The Hitmen are two points behind Medicine Hat for the final Eastern Conference Wildcard spot. Calgary has taken 154 more shots than they have given up this season and have only been outshot in six of their 28 games....A Hitmen player has scored at least twice in a game 19 times this season although Mark Kastelic's three-goal performance Nov. 17 in Spokane was the first Hitmen hat-trick.

DID YOU KNOW?: Today is the last game for Hitmen defenceman Vladislav Yeryomenko before he joins Team Belarus for the 2019 IIHF World U20 Championship. The Division I Group A tournament will be held in Germany from Dec. 9-15. This will be the third trip to the World Juniors for Yeryomenko which will see Belarus open play against Norway on Dec. 9. During his previous two tournaments he has played a combined 11 games recording seven points (2g, 5a) while winning gold in2017.

BOUNCING BACK: Since starting the season 0-5-1-0, the Hitmen have gone 11-9-1-1.

HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: The Hitmen are 4-6-2-0 at home while Moose Jaw has one of league's best road records at 8-1-1-0.

POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet defenceman Jackson van de Leest after today's game. van de Leest will be signing autographs at the Hitmen Booster Club table located behind section 212.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: All four teams under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation umbrella are providing special gift ideas from Dec. 1-12. There will be a dozen days of deals for the Hitmen, Flames, Roughnecks and Stampeders. Today's Hitmen offer is buy four tickets for the price of three to the Sunday, Dec. 30 game against the Vancouver Giants. Visit www.calgaryflames.com/12days for all the details.

TEDDY BEAR TICKETS: Due to overwhelming demand, press-level seating is open for The Brick Teddy Bear Toss. Tickets are available starting at $14.99 for adults and $9.99 for students and kids (plus applicable fees and taxes). Limited second level seating also remains. Fans are encouraged to bring a new small or medium-sized stuffed toy to toss onto the ice when the Calgary Hitmen score their first goal on Sunday, Dec. 9 against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. Game time at the 'Dome is 2:00 p.m. with doors opening early at 12:30.

NHL DRAFT: Mark Kastelic and Jackson van de Leest are both on NHL Central Scouting's November 'Players to Watch' list for the 2019 NHL Draft. They each received a 'C rating' which indicates fourth/fifth/sixth round candidate.

CORRAL SERIES: The Hitmen will play a trio of regular season 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 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.

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.

UPCOMING GAMES

All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.

DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST

Dec. 7 vs. Swift Current 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Dec. 9 vs. Kamloops 2:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Dec. 14 vs. Kelowna 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Dec. 15 at Edmonton 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Dec. 16 vs. Lethbridge 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

PROMO CALENDAR

Upcoming home game highlights include:

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

- Carols for Christmas on Dec. 14 vs. KEL

- Novice Jamboree and Sunday Funday on Dec. 16 vs. LET

- Soccer Day and Sunday Funday on Dec. 30 vs. VAN

- Airdrie Day on Jan. 1 vs. VIC

- Wizarding Day on Jan. 5 vs. MH

- Sunday Funday 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. Tickets on sale starting Nov. 26

- Family Game and Sunday Funday 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 on Mar. 3 vs. KTN

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

- Fan Appreciation on Mar. 17 vs. EDM

CAREER MILESTONE WATCH

- Layne Toder and Egor Zamula are both three games away from 100.

- James Malm is five points shy of 150.

Check out the Calgary Hitmen Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2018


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