Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Thursday, October 15 vs Moose Jaw
October 15, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (5-1-0-1, 11 pts.) vs MOOSE JAW WARRIORS (4-1-1-1, 10 pts.)
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 - 7:00 p.m. - Scotiabank Saddledome
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen play the first of three games in four days when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Hitmen are coming off a 5-4 shootout loss in Red Deer on Saturday. Trailing 2-0 and 3-1, the Hitmen rallied in the third to take a 4-3 lead before Grayson Pawlenchuk forced overtime for the Rebels scoring with 36.9 seconds remaining. Defenceman Jake Bean led Calgary with a pair of goals to tie his career high of five set last season as a rookie. Jordy Stallard and Taylor Sanheim rounded out the Hitmen scoring with Radel Fazleev and Travis Sanheim both chipping in a pair of assists. Red Deer outshot Calgary 33-31. The Hitmen enter play tonight as the first place team in the Central Division with 11 points, one point ahead of both the Rebels and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
HITMEN BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
ATTACHMENTS
WHL Daily Report and Media Kit
STREAKS
- Travis Sanheim (2g, 9a) and Jake Bean (5g, 5a) are both riding five-game point streaks. Radel Fazleev has points in back-to-back games (1g, 4a) and at least a point in six of his seven games (4g, 6a) this season. Beck Malenstyn (2a) had his two-game point streak snapped Saturday in Red Deer
- Brendan Burke hasn't given up a goal in his last 120 minutes and 14 seconds of playing time. His .72 goals-against average and .971 save percentage are both second in the WHL.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. MOOSE JAW: Tonight is the second of four regular season meetings between the two teams. Moose Jaw leads the season series 1-0. Over the last five seasons Calgary is 12-4-1-0 against the Moose Jaw including an 7-1-0-0 record at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Their next meeting is not until Friday, December 11 in Moose Jaw.
2015-16 REGULAR SEASON SERIES RECAP
- Oct. 3/15 at CAL: MJ 6 CAL 3 ... The Warriors scored four power play goals.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- Shots on Goal: CAL 30 MJ 31
- Power Plays: CAL 1-8 (12.5%) MJ 4-11 (36.4%)
LIVIN' THE PRO LIFE: Of the 27 players on the Hitmen roster, two remain with their respected NHL organizations: over-age defenceman Keegan Kanzig (Stockton Heat) and forward Jake Virtanen (Vancouver Canucks). Virtanen made his NHL debut on Tuesday, Oct. 13, when the Canucks visited the Los Angeles Kings while Kanzig has yet to dress for the Heat one game into their season.
DEFENDING THE CREASE: The Hitmen have two of the top five goalies in the WHL in goals against average. Brendan Burke leads the way sporting a .72 GAA while Lasse Petersen is fifth with a 1.50 goals against average. Burke's .971 save percentage also leads the league.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Calgary's powerplay is tied for seventh in the WHL at 25.6% while their penalty kill is second overall at 87.8%. Calgary is also tied for second in shorthanded goals scored with two.
NATIONAL ATTENTION: For the second consecutive week, the Calgary Hitmen are third in the BMO Canadian Hockey League Top-10 Rankings. The Hitmen are the highest ranked team in the WHL with Victoria fifth and Brandon sixth. Moose Jaw and Everett both received honourable mentions. The weekly rankings of the CHL's Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of NHL scouts.
PROSPECT WATCH: Four Hitmen prospects will play in the 2015 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup. Tristen Nielsen has been named to Team Alberta, Jake Davidson is on Team Saskatchewan while Noah Geekie and Layne Toder are both members of Team Manitoba. All four were selected by Calgary in the 2015 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft. The Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup will feature the highest-rated players in the under-16 age category from the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The tournament, the first step in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence for players, will be held in Calgary from October 28 to November 1 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park.
DYNAMIC DUO: The Hitmen have two of the top scoring defenceman in the WHL in Travis Sanheim and Jake Bean. Sanheim's 12 points (3g, 9a) is not only tied for 11th overall in the league scoring race but also leads all blueliners. Bean (5g, 6a) is tied for second among defenceman in scoring with Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings at 11 points. Sanheim was a ninth round pick of the Hitmen, 177 overall, in the 2011 Bantam Draft while Bean was a protected list addition out of training camp two seasons ago.
NHL IMPACT: There are currently 12 Hitmen grads on NHL rosters: Karl Alzner (Washington), Johnny Boychuk (NYI), Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim), Martin Jones (San Jose), Andrew Ladd (Winnipeg), Paul Postma (Winnipeg), Victor Rask (Carolina), Jeff Schultz (Los Angeles), Michael Stone (Phoenix), Brad Stuart (Colorado), Jake Virtanen (Vancouver) and Ryan White (Philadelphia).
NHL ATTENTION: Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean and forward Beck Malenstyn both made the National Hockey League's players to watch list for September in advance of the 2016 NHL Draft. The list, compiled by NHL Central Scouting Service, groups all the prospects by league giving each player an individual rating. Bean, one of 40 players from the Western Hockey League on the list, received a "B" ranking which indicates a 2nd/3rd round candidate. Malenstyn received a "C" ranking, indicating a 4th/5th/6th round candidate.
2 FOR $20: October is the month for Thanksgiving and the Hitmen would like to say thanks to their fans through a special promotion offering a seat to Hitmen Hockey for as low as $10 per game. Fans can choose from two packages:
- Two Hitmen October home games for $20
- Three Hitmen October home games for $30
This ticket offer, which includes all convenience fees, is only available through HitmenHockey.com and applies to Hitmen games at the Scotiabank Saddledome this month.
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS: Meet defenceman Loch Morrison after tonight's the game at the Booster Club table located on the concourse by section 212.
UPCOMING GAMES
All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.
All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.
DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
Oct. 17 at Medicine Hat 7:30 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Oct. 18 vs Regina 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Oct. 20 at Prince George 8:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Oct. 21 at Prince George 8:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Oct. 23 at Kamloops 8:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
PROMO CALENDAR
Hitmen single game tickets are on sale now. Upcoming home game highlights include:
- Hitmen Fight Cancer on Sunday, Oct. 18. against Regina
- KIDS DAY on Sunday, Nov. 1 versus Seattle
- WHL 50th Season Celebration on Friday, Nov. 13 against Kootenay
- 21st annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss on Sunday, Dec. 6 versus Swift Current
- Dodge Skate with the Hitmen on Sunday, Jan. 31 against Brandon
- Lunar Celebration with post-game fireworks on Friday, Feb. 12 versus Red Deer
- Co-op Family Day on Sunday, Feb. 14 against Lethbridge
- Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday, Mar. 20 versus Kootenay
MILESTONES
- Ben Thomas is one assist shy of 50
- Elliott Peterson needs three assists for 50
- Chase Lang is three points away from 100
- Jake Bean hit 50 career points on Oct. 10 in Red Deer
Western Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2015
- Tigers Claim Lotz off Waivers - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Snag Luke Harrison - Spokane Chiefs
- Cougars Announce Details of a "Mystery Night' Car Giveaway, Pink Jersey Auction and More - Prince George Cougars
- Wheat Kings' Leadership Group Announced - Brandon Wheat Kings
- WHL Completes 20-Year-Old Cut-Downdraft - WHL
- Americans, VenuWorks Announce Five-Year Lease Extension - Tri-City Americans
- Cougars Acquire Defenceman Shaun Dosanjh from Vancouver Giants - Prince George Cougars
- Giants Acquire Haydn Hopkins from Prince George - Vancouver Giants
- Voting Opens for Top 50 WHL Players of All-Time - WHL
- $5 off Chiefs Tickets with Supercuts Promo Code - Spokane Chiefs
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Skate October 21 - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Warriors Acquire McNulty - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Valentine Acquired from Warriors for McNulty - Kamloops Blazers
- WHL Overage Deadline Decisions - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Thursday, October 15 vs Moose Jaw - Calgary Hitmen
- Rockets Edge Rebels 5-4 - Red Deer Rebels
- Raiders Sink Americans 5-3 - Tri-City Americans
- Rockets Edge Red Deer 5-4 - Kelowna Rockets
- Prince Albert notches second-straight road win - Prince Albert Raiders
- Pats Fall to Late Lethbridge Charge - Regina Pats
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.
