Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Sunday, February 11 vs. Medicine Hat
February 11, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (16-31-5-2, 39 pts.) vs. MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (28-22-7-0, 63 pts.)
Sunday, February 11, 2018 - 2:00 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen open a season-high seven-game home stand this afternoon against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Calgary began this home-and-home set with the Tigers by dropping a 4-0 decision in Medicine Hat on Friday. The Tigers scored three times in a span of 2:40 early in the second period to blow the game open. Elijah Brown netted a pair of goals for the Central Division leaders while Mark Rassell and Ryan Chyzowski added singles. New York Islanders prospect David Quenneville recorded two assists to break the Tigers franchise record for points by a defenceman with 197, one more than Kris Russell. Goaltender Nick Schneider made 41 saves in the loss as the Hitmen were outshot 45-16. The Hitmen, at 39 points, are 12 points back of Kootenay for a Central Division playoff spot. Medicine Hat leads the division with 63 points, seven points ahead of Lethbridge.
HITMEN BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
ATTACHMENT
Media Kit
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STREAKS
- Tristen Nielsen (2g, 3a) saw his three-game point streak snapped Friday in Medicine Hat.
- Conner Chaulk (2g), Carson Focht (2a) and Andrew Viggars (2a) all have points in two of their last four contests.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. MEDICINE HAT: Today is the fifth of six regular season meetings between the two Central Division rivals. Calgary is 1-2-1-0 against the Tigers. Mark Kastelic (1g, 4a) leads the Hitmen with five points against Medicine Hat. Jakob Stukel (3g, 1a) is next with four. Mark Rassell (5g, 2a) is the top-performing Tiger with seven points in the season series. Jaeger White (2g, 3a) and David Quenneville (1g, 4a) are next with five points each. Calgary is 2-8-1-0 in their last 11 home games against Medicine Hat.
2017-18 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 10/17 at CGY: MH 4 CGY 2...The Tigers erased deficits of 1-0 and 2-1.
Nov. 11/17 at MH: MH 4 CGY 3 OT...Max Gerlach scored the winner with 6.5 seconds remaining.
Jan. 3/18 at CGY: CGY 4 MH 3 OT...Riley Stotts scored the winner 47 seconds into the extra session.
Feb. 9/18 at MH: MH 4 CGY 0...The Tigers held Calgary to just 10 shots through 40 minutes.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 112 MH 137
Power Plays: CGY 3-16 (18.8%) MH 4-15 (26.7%)
INSIDE THE ROAD TRIP: The Hitmen are back in the 'Dome today after a season-high seven-game road swing. Tristen Nielsen (3g, 3a) led all Hitmen on the trip with six points in seven games. Luke Coleman (3g, 1a) and Jakob Stukel (4g) were next with four points each. Riley Stotts (3a) and Mark Kastelic (1g, 2a) collected three points each while Jake Kryski (2a), Carson Focht (2a) and Andrew Viggars (2a) tallied two. Seven others recorded a single point: Hunter Campbell (1g), Conner Chaulk (1g), Dakota Krebs (1g), Vladislav Yeryomenko (1a), Orca Wiesblatt (1a), Egor Zamula (1g) and Cael Zimmerman (1a).
WHAT'S LEFT: Of Calgary's 18 remaining regular season games, 11 are at home with seven on the road.
SCORING RACE: Jakob Stukel (41) and Jake Kryski (37) are only four parts apart for the team scoring lead. The last time two Hitmen shared the points lead at the end of the season was 2013-14 when Brady Brassart and Greg Chase both recorded 85 points.
NHL WATCH: NHL Central Scouting has named four Hitmen among the top players available for the 2018 NHL Draft. Vladislav Yeryomenko, Riley Stotts, Egor Zamula and Carson Focht are all on the midterm rankings among North American skaters. Yeryomenko is number 79, Stotts 88, Zamula 100 and Focht 200. The 2018 NHL Draft will be held June 22-23 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
THE OLYMPIC FIVE: Former Hitmen star Brandon Kozun has been named to the Canadian men's hockey team for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Kozun, who played parts of four seasons in Calgary from 2006 to 2010, is fourth on the Hitmen's all-time regular season points list with 270. Meanwhile four other Hitmen alumni will also play in the tournament: Bostjan Golicic with Slovenia, Freddie Petterson with Sweden, Brooks Macek with Germany and Alex Plante with Korea. The preliminary round begins Feb. 14 with the gold-medal game on Feb. 25.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Calgary's power play is 18th in the WHL at 18.7%. The penalty kill is tied for 11th in the league at 78.6% while their 11 shorthanded goals scored rank seventh overall.
WORK HORSE: Goaltender Nick Schneider has started 48 of Calgary's 54 games. He ranks third in the WHL in minutes played with 2,709 while his 1,299 saves sit fourth.
DID YOU KNOW?: Hitmen sophomore Vladislav Yeryomenko is in a three-way tie for 22nd in league scoring by a defenceman with Red Deer's Alexander Alexeyev and Joel Lakusta of Prince George. All three players have 31 points.
INJURY REPORT: Heading into today, the Hitmen have lost a combined 137 man games to injury this season. Counting the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (Jackson van de Leest) and 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship (Jake Bean and Vladislav Yeryomenko), the number of man games lost grows to 160.
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT: The Calgary Hitmen Foundation Community Restoration Program has announced the three finalists for its $50,000 grant. Eugene Coste School Playground Redevelopment in Haysboro, Indus Accessible Playground and Parkdale Community Outdoor Rink have been selected to create a video showing why fans should cast a ballot for their project. The online voting period will take place from February 17 - March 2 on HitmenHockey.com, with the community project receiving the most votes to be awarded the grant. The Calgary Hitmen Foundation has been giving back to education and wellness programs in the community and surrounding area for over 15 years. The heart of the Foundation is the scholarship program which funds the post-secondary education of Hitmen players and alumni. In addition, support is provided to grassroots sport organizations and health initiatives. To date, the Foundation has supported Calgary and area agencies with over $2.8 million.
ALUMNI WATCH: Kyle Dumba is in the BCHL with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The 19-year-old goaltender is 8-14 with as 3.80 goals-against-average and .896 save percentage. Dumba played parts of three seasons with the Hitmen, his last was the 2016-18 campaign.
PROSPECT REPORT: Connor Brock, Calgary's 10th-round pick in the 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft is playing AAA Midget with the Calgary Flames. In 31 games, the 16-year-old forward has 22 points (11g, 11a). Brock also took part in the Mac's Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament this year, finishing the tourney with three points (2G, 1A) in three games.
PROMO CALENDAR
Hitmen single game tickets are available at Ticketmaster and the 'Dome box office. Upcoming home game highlights include:
- TODAY vs. MH - Co-op Family Game
- Valentine's Day on Feb. 14 vs. TC
- Sunday Funday presented by Pocky on Feb. 18 vs. SAS
- RE/MAX Chuck-A-Puck on Feb. 21 vs. RD
- Lunar Celebration presented by A1 Chesney Service Experts on Feb. 23 vs. EDM
- Dodge Skate with the Hitmen on Feb. 25 vs. BDN
- TELUS BE BRAVE Anti-Bullying Game on Feb. 27 vs. SC
- Multicultural Day presented by Cornerstone on Mar. 4 vs. RD
- RE/MAX Chuck-A-Puck on Mar. 14 vs. KTN
- Fan Appreciation Day presented by Vision Travel on Mar. 18
CAREER MILESTONES
- Jake Kryski needs two points for 150 and five assists for 100.
- Jakob Stukel is three games away from 250.
- Luke Coleman is three assists shy of 50.
- Matthew Armitage passed 500 minutes played on Feb. 3 in Kamloops while Riley Stotts reached career game 100 on Feb. 2 against the Giants.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 11, 2018
- T-Birds Fall Just Short in Portland - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Silvertips Survive Strong Spokane Surge on Sunday - Spokane Chiefs
- Raiders Canâ??t Complete Comeback Against Broncos - Prince Albert Raiders
- Pats Bow in Shootout - Regina Pats
- Late Chaulk Goal Lifts Hitmen over Tigers 5-4 - Calgary Hitmen
- Game Day Preview: Pats Wrap Three in Three Weekend in Saskatoon - Regina Pats
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Sunday, February 11 vs. Medicine Hat - Calgary Hitmen
- Hart Ties WHL Shutout Record - Everett Silvertips
- Media Notes -- Royals Ground Rockets in Overtime - Victoria Royals
- Giants Fall to Silvertips Saturday in Everett - Vancouver Giants
- Rockets Tripped in OT - Kelowna Rockets
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.
