Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Sunday, March 3 vs. Kootenay
March 3, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (34-22-5-1, 74 pts.) vs. KOOTENAY ICE (12-40-7-3, 34 pts.)
Sunday, March 3, 2019 - 4:00 p.m. MT - Scotiabank Saddledome
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen close out a home-and-home set with the Kootenay ICE this afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome. It's a 4:00 p.m. start for RE/MAX Presents: WHL Suits up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation and Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill. The Hitmen will wear limited edition jerseys featuring each player's nickname on the name bar along with black and copper flowers designed as a Don Cherry sports jacket. A high white collar, red tie, red pocket square in the shape of a rose, custom cuffs featuring Don Cherry's initials with a Canadian maple leaf, a Kidney Foundation of Canada shoulder patch and a RE/MAX shoulder patch complete the one-of-a-kind look. Fans can bid on the stylish uniforms at ElevateAuctions.com. The online auction opens at game time today and closes Sunday, Mar. 10 at 8:00 p.m., with all proceeds going to the local chapter of the Kidney Foundation. In addition to game-worn and game-issued uniforms, fans can also bid on a Don Cherry-autographed jersey while the first 1,000 fans in the building receive a limited second-edition Don Cherry and dog Blue bobblehead. Plaid RE/MAX drink koozies shaped like a house will also be available at various locations on the concourse.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
________________________________
STREAKS
- Three Hitmen take five-game point streaks into today's game: Carson Focht (4g, 9a), James Malm (8g, 4a) and Egor Zamula (8a).
- Luke Coleman (2g, 3a) and Riley Stotts (1g, 6a) are both on four-game point streaks.
- Mark Kastelic (3g, 2a) has points in three straight games.
- Jack McNaughton has won his last four starts posting a 1.98 goals against average and .905 save percentage.
NOTEWORTHY LAST GAME RECAP: Calgary beat the ICE 5-2 in Cranbrook last night to run their winning streak to four games. James Malm paced the visitors by scoring a hat-trick to reach 31 goals, surpassing the 30 goal plateau for the first time in his Western Hockey League career. Josh Prokop with his seventh and Mark Kastelic with his team-leading 45th also found the back of the net for the visitors. Riley Stotts, Carson Focht and Egor Zamula all chipped in a pair of assists in a game that saw Calgary build leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. Marco Creta and Bradley Ginnell replied for Kootenay on a night when former captain Jarret Stoll became the first inductee into the ICE Hall of Fame during a special pre-game ceremony. Calgary outshot Kootenay 31-26 and went 1-2 on the power play. Kootenay was 0-3 with the extra attacker which included a two-man advantage for 69 seconds.
VS. KOOTENAY: Today is the sixth and final regular season meeting between the Hitmen and ICE. Calgary is 4-1 against Kootenay having outscored the ICE by a combined 24-11. James Malm (4g, 4a) leads the Hitmen in the season series with eight points each while Carson Focht (1g, 6a) is next with seven. Peyton Krebs (1g, 3a) is the top-performer for Kootenay with four points. Calgary is 11-1-1 in their last 13 home games against the ICE.
2018-19 SERIES RECAP Sept. 22/18 at KTN: KTN 5 CGY 3...After giving up the first goal, Kootenay struck for four straight. Nov. 11/18 in CGY: CGY 7 KTN 3...Carson Focht and James Malm both recorded four points each. Nov. 16/18 at KTN: CGY 5 KTN 0...Jack McNaughton made 19 saves for his first-career shutout. Jan. 27/19 in CGY: CGY 4 ICE 1...Calgary jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the game was seven minutes old. Mar. 2/19 at KTN: CGY 5 ICE 2...The Hitmen snapped a 2-2 tie early in the second period.
INSIDE THE SERIES Shots on Goal: CGY 181 KTN 132 Power Plays: CGY 6-17 (35.3%) KTN 4-24 (16.7%)
PLAYOFF CHASE: With six games to go in the regular season, Calgary is third in the Central Division sitting five points ahead of Medicine Hat which occupies the first Eastern Conference Wildcard spot. Looking up, the Hitmen are six points behind Lethbridge for second in the division. Both the Tigers and Hurricanes are idle today.
FAST FACTS: During Wednesday's victory over Swift Current, Carson Focht became the first Hitmen player since Brock Nixon to score four goals in a game. Nixon netted his four markers in a 9-2 home ice win against Brandon on Jan. 27, 2008. Pavel Brendl holds the franchise record for most goals in a single game with five, set on Nov. 11, 2000...Including today, Calgary has three home games left in the regular season and three on the road...Since January 1, Calgary has posted a record of 24-8-3-0...The Hitmen have only been outshot once in the last 18 games...James Malm led the Hitmen in scoring during the month of February with 19 points (7g, 12a) in 12 games.
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet forward Carson Focht after today's game. Focht will be signing autographs at the Hitmen Booster Club table located behind section 212.
ROSTER MOVES: Following Friday's game against Brandon, the Hitmen returned 18-year-old forward Orca Wiesbatt to the MJHL's Portage Terriers. On Monday the Hitmen recalled 15-year-old forward Zac Funk from the BCMMHL's Fraser Valley Thunderbirds where he leads the team in scoring with 55 points (33g, 22a) in 36 games. Funk made his WHL debut Wednesday against Swift Current and in three games has seven shots on goal. The transactions leave Calgary with seven defencemen, two goalies and 14 forwards.
HITMEN MONTH-BY-MONTH: September (0-3-1-0), October (4-6-1-0), November (6-5-0-1), December (6-2-1-0), January (9-3-0-0), February (7-3-2-0), March (2-0-0-0).
DID YOU KNOW?: Mark Kastelic is the first Hitmen player to score 40 goals in a season since Matteo Gennaro netted 43 in the 2016-17 campaign. Prior to Gennaro, Adam Tambellini scored 47 goals in 2014-15. Kastelic's 86 career goals have him 14th on the clubs all-time goal scoring list, trailing Brett Sonne by three markers for 13th spot. Brad Moran holds the franchise record with 204.
WHL TOP 15: Mark Kastelic is third in the WHL in goals with 45 while his 23 power play markers lead the league. Egor Zamula is seventh in defencemen scoring with 53 points. Dakota Krebs is tied for 12th in plus/minus among defenceman at +23.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Jake Kryski (indefinite, upper body). Hunter Campbell (indefinite, lower body), Cael Zimmerman (week-to-week, upper body).
LEAGUE HISTORY: This is year 24 for the franchise, with the Hitmen qualifying for the playoffs in 19 of their 23 seasons. During that time they have captured the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions on two occasions, in 1999 and 2010.
CAREER YEARS: With 8.8 percent of the regular seasons schedule remaining, 11 Hitmen have set new career highs in point totals. Their previous best is in brackets: Mark Kastelic 72pts (45), James Malm 72pts (66), Kaden Elder 56pts (32), Carson Focht 55pts (33), Riley Stotts 54pts (44), Egor Zamula 53pts (18), Cael Zimmerman 25pts (18), Dakota Krebs 22pts (16), Jackson van de Leest 20pts (5) and Hunter Campbell 13pts (11), Layne Toder 12pts (10).
UPCOMING GAMES All times in MT. Schedule subject to change. DATE
OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
Mar. 6 at Medicine Hat 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Mar. 8 vs. Edmonton 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 9 at Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Mar. 16 at Edmonton 2:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Mar. 17 vs. Edmonton 2:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
PROMO CALENDAR
Upcoming home game highlights include: - TODAY vs. KTN, RE/MAX Presents: WHL Suits up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation, Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill and RE/MAX Chuck-A-Puck - One Ticket, One Tree on Mar. 8 vs. EDM - Hitmen Player Awards, Fan Appreciation and Sunday Funday presented by Ricky's All Day Grill on Mar. 17 vs. EDM
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- James Malm is nine points shy of 200.
- Vladislav Yeryomenko is four points away from 100 while Riley Stotts needs three goals for 50.
- Carson Focht is five games shy of 200.
- Jack McNaughton reached 1,000 saves on Wednesday against Swift Current.
- Devan Klassen scored his first career WHL goal Feb. 23 in Swift Current.
- Jackson van de Leest played game 100 in Regina on Feb. 22.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2019
- Winterhawks Compete Hard in One Goal Game - Portland Winterhawks
- Byram's Latest OT Winner Gives the G-Men a Share of First Place - Vancouver Giants
- Focht Leads Hitmen to 6-2 Win over ICE - Calgary Hitmen
- Rebels' Offensive Struggles Continue in 1-0 Loss to Blades - Red Deer Rebels
- Maier Shuts the Door Again, Blades Shutout Rebels - Saskatoon Blades
- Winterhawks Game Day Preview: Portland at Kelowna - Game #63 - Portland Winterhawks
- Preview: Blades and Rebels Meet in Sunday Matinee - Saskatoon Blades
- ICE Travel to Calgary for Afternoon Match-Up against Hitmen - Kootenay Ice
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Sunday, March 3 vs. Kootenay - Calgary Hitmen
- Royals Take Rematch - Prince George Cougars
- Hitmen Take Saturday Night Battle against ICE - Kootenay Ice
- Kindopp Breaks Wall in OT for Silvertips' Win - Everett Silvertips
- Lamb Dishes 47 Saves, Broncos Earn Point in Overtime Loss - Swift Current Broncos
- G-Men Improve to 6-0 against the Blazers After Saturday's 5-4 Win - Vancouver Giants
- Kyle Olson Ties Game with One Second Remaining, Ams Fall to Chiefs in Overtime - Tri-City Americans
- Royals Clinch Playoff Berth against Cougars - Victoria Royals
- Tigers Make a Late Comeback to Win 3-2 - Medicine Hat Tigers
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.
