Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Tuesday, December 8 at Brandon
December 8, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (18-11-1-1, 38 pts.) at BRANDON WHEAT KINGS (17-8-1-2, 37 pts.)
Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. MT - Westman Communications Group Place
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen open a stretch of five straight games on the road tonight as they visit the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Hitmen are coming off Sunday's 2-1 shootout victory over the Swift Current Broncos in the Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss. After Tyler Adams scored in the opening frame for the Broncos, Jordy Stallard pulled the Hitmen even at 2:41 of the second period, triggering an avalanche of 28,815 stuffed toys at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The two teams then played a scoreless third period and overtime before Jake Bean produced the shootout winner. The Hitmen outshot the Broncos 41-17. Calgary is in a three-way tie for first place in the WHL's Central Division with Red Deer and Lethbridge at 38 points. Brandon is second in the East Division with 37 points, two points behind the front running Prince Albert Raiders.
HITMEN BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com
________________________________
STREAKS
- Travis Sanheim (1g, 5a) is riding a four-game point streak.
- Jordy Stallard (2g) has goals in back-to-back games.
- Layne Bensmiller (3a) is on a two-game point streak.
- Cody Porter has won his last two starts while posting a 1.00 goals against average and .941 save percentage.
- Jakob Stukel (7g, 2a) and Radel Fazleev (1g, 11a) both saw their career-high six-game point streaks end Sunday against Swift Current.
- Pavel Karnaukhov's (2g, 4a) career-high tying four-game point streak also ended Sunday along with Tyler Mrkonjic's (2g) two-game goal scoring streak.
NOTEWORTHY
VS. BRANDON: Tonight is the second of four regular season meetings between the two teams and the second straight in Brandon. Radel Fazleev (1g, 1a) and Travis Sanheim (2a) have two points each for Calgary in the season series while Nolan Patrick (2a) tops the Wheat Kings with two points. Over the last five seasons, the Hitmen are 13-3-0-1 against Brandon, including a 6-2-0-1 mark in Manitoba. Their next meeting is Sun. Jan. 3 in Calgary.
2015-16 SERIES RECAP Oct. 2/15 at BDN: CAL 3 BDN 2...Radel Fazleev had 1g, 1a helping Calgary build a 3-0 lead.
INSIDE THE SERIES Shots on Goal: CAL 23 BDN 32 Power Plays: CAL 2-7 (28.6%) BDN 0-6 (0%)
INSIDE THE STREAK: Calgary has picked up 19 of a possible 22 points going 9-1-1-0 in their last 11 games. They have outscored their opponents by a combined 45-25 while outshooting them 367-258.
TEETER TOTTER: Calgary has been through a series off three different runs this season. They started the 2015-16 schedule 5-1-0-1 before going 4-9-0-0 in their next 13 games. Since then, they've posted a record of 9-1-1-0.
THE POWER OF THREE: The Hitmen are 18-3 when holding the opposition to three goals or less. Conversely, Calgary is 0-8-1-1 when giving up four or more goals.
TEAM CANADA CALLS: Travis Sanheim is one of 30 players invited to participate in Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp December 10-14 at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke, ON. Sanheim is also one of 10 players from the Western Hockey League to receive an invitation and one of 11 defenceman.
FLYING FUR: On Sunday, the Calgary Hitmen held their 21st annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss. Fans tossed a record 28,815 stuffed toys, to bring the total number of teddy bears collected since the inaugural event, held on Dec. 16, 1995 to 299,419. This year's game was also played in front of the first-ever teddy bear toss sellout of 19,289 fans. Among the over 50 local agencies to benefit this season; Calgary Food Bank, Stephen's Backpacks, the Salvation Army and Siksika Children's Services.
GAME-WORN JERSEY AUCTION: During the 21st annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss, the Hitmen wore red-themed teddy bear jerseys that are now up for bid in an online auction. It began Monday and closes on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 9:00 p.m. Fans can bid on the game-worn jerseys by visiting www.elevateauctions.com. Proceeds from the jersey auction will support the CBC Calgary Suncor Food Bank Drive. New this year, each jersey is accompanied by a custom-made teddy bear. The auction bears, dressed in a one-of-a-kind Hitmen T-shirt, each come with a $25 gift card, courtesy of Build-A-Bear Workshop, and a personalized player voice message.
NHL DRAFT WATCH: Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean, forward Beck Malenstyn and goaltender Cody Porter have all been named to the National Hockey League's Players to Watch list for November in advance of the 2016 NHL Draft. The list, compiled by NHL Central Scouting Service, groups prospects by league and gives each player an individual rating. Bean, one of 49 players from the Western Hockey League on the list, received an "A" ranking which indicates a first-round candidate. Malenstyn and Porter received "C" ratings, indicating a fourth, fifth or sixth-round selection.
TRADE WINDS: On Nov. 30, the Hitmen acquired 18-year-old goalie Nik Amundrud (am-un-DROOD) from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. Amundrud is in his second WHL season and has appeared in 43 career games.
DYNAMIC DUO: Calgary has two of the top 10 scoring defencemen in the WHL in Travis Sanheim and Jake Bean. Sanheim (7g, 21a) has 28 points to sit tied for second in scoring while Bean's 24 points (12g, 12a) is tied for ninth among defencemen. Bean's career-high 12 goals top all blueliners while his five power play markers is tied for first among all rearguards. Sanheim's 21 assists rank tied for third.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Calgary's power play, which has scored at least once in 15 of their 31 games this season, is ninth in the WHL at 19.9%. The Hitmen penalty kill is fifth in the league at 83.2%.
HITMEN ALUMNUS: Pavel Padakin, who played parts of three seasons with the Hitmen (2012-13 to 2014-15), is in the ECHL with the Reading Royals. Ironically Padakin, who scored back-to-back teddy bear goals for the Hitmen in 2012 and 2013, scored his first professional goal on Sunday, the day of this season's Hitmen teddy bear toss. Padakin appeared in 137 career games in Calgary, collecting 93 points (50g, 43a).
HOLIDAY CHEER: The Calgary Hitmen are offering a special ticket package during the holiday season. Fans can purchase tickets to two holiday games for $25. There are four games to pick from which include; Dec. 19 vs. MH, Dec. 28 vs. KTN, Dec. 30 vs. LET and Jan. 3 vs. BDN. For full details visit hitmenhockey.com.
Western Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2015
- Raiders Edged in Road Trip Finale - Prince Albert Raiders
- True Named to Danish World Junior Preliminary Roster - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Royals Host Giants this Weekend; Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday - Victoria Royals
- Ty Edmonds Named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week - Prince George Cougars
- Andersen and Petersen Named to Danish Preliminary Roster - Spokane Chiefs
- Hawks Hosting Toy Drive & Teddy Bear Toss this Weekend - Portland Winterhawks
- Cougars' Ty Edmonds Named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week - WHL
- Zborovskiy Earns Team Russia Tryout - Regina Pats
- Giants Announce Management Change - Vancouver Giants
- Chiefs Unveil Spokane Canaries Throwback Jersey Design - Spokane Chiefs
- 10th Annual Celebrity Dinner Set - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Tuesday, December 8 at Brandon - Calgary Hitmen
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.
