Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Tuesday, March 4 at Prince Albert
March 3, 2020 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN (34-21-4-1, 73 pts.) at PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (34-17-5-4, 77 pts.)
Tuesday, March 3, 2020 - 6:00 p.m. MT - Art Hauser Centre
TODAY'S GAME
The Calgary Hitmen begin a three-game road trip tonight in Prince Albert against the Raiders. The Hitmen are coming off Sunday's 3-2 loss to Lethbridge where Dino Kambeitz scored twice for the visiting Hurricanes. Trailing 2-0 entering the third period, the Hitmen rallied to tie it within the first six minutes on markers from Orca Wiesblatt and Riley Stotts. However 11 seconds later Kambeitz restored the lead for the 'Canes, notching the shorthanded game winner. Chase Wheatcroft also scored for the Hurricanes who were outshot 33-26. Prior to puck drop, the Hitmen inducted former executive and coach Kelly Kisio into the 'Forever A Hitmen' program by raising a banner to the rafters which will remain on permanent display at Scotiabank Saddledome. Kisio spent 18 years with the club from 1998 to 2016. During that time his work took the franchise to new heights; two WHL titles (1999 & 2010), nine trips to the Conference Finals or beyond and playoff berths in 17 of 18 seasons.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Webcast: WHL Live at whllive.com
STREAKS
- Mark Kastelic (11g, 7a) is on a 10-game point streak.
- Riley Stotts (3g, 4a) has points in seven consecutive games.
- Luke Prokop (2a) has points in back-to-back games and points in four of his last five outings (3g, 3a).
- Orca Wiesblatt (3g, 3a) has points in four of his last five games.
- Carson Focht (1g, 1a) saw his two-game point streak end on Sunday against Lethbridge.
NOTEWORTHY
WHERE THEY STAND: Calgary, at 73 points, holds the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference sitting six points up on Saskatoon. The Blades are idle until Wednesday when they host the Hitmen. Prince Albert leads the East Division with 77 points, three points ahead of Brandon. The Wheat Kings are off until Friday when they begin a home-and-home set with the Raiders in Prince Albert.
VS. PRINCE ALBERT: Tonight is the fourth and final regular season meeting between the Hitmen and Raiders. Calgary is 2-0-1 against their Eastern Conference rivals. Josh Prokop (2g, 1a) leads the Hitmen with three points in the season series. Five others all have two points each in Orca Wiesblatt (2g), Riley Stotts (1g, 1a), Adam Kydd (1g, 1a), Egor Zamula (1g, 1a) and Luke Prokop (2a). Brayden Watts (3g) and Spencer Moe (1g, 2a) are the top performers for PA with three points each while Ozzy Wiesblatt (2g), Kaiden Guhle (1g, 1a) and Evan Herman (1g, 1a) all have two points each. The Hitmen are 2-2-3-0 in their last seven visits to PA.
2019-20 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 6/19 in CGY: CGY 4 PA 2...Orca Wiesblatt scored twice for Calgary.
Nov. 17/19 in PA: PA 5 CGY 4 OT...Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the winner 1:12 into the extra session.
Feb. 7/20 in CGY: CGY 2 PA 1...Brayden Peters made 39 saves in a first-star performance for Calgary.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 79 PA 95 Power Plays: CGY 1-4 (25%) PA 2-10 (20%)
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Hitmen are back on the road just 10 days after completing a five-game B.C. Division road trip. During that swing Calgary went 4-1 with victories over Prince George, Kelowna, Victoria and Kamloops. After this three-game roadie, the Hitmen will have only two regular season games remaining in enemy buildings; on March 14th in Red Deer and March 20th in Swift Current.
FAST FACTS: The Hitmen are 12-6 in their last 18 games...Calgary is 15-6-1-0 against the East Division...Today is Calgary's fourth game in six days while for the hometown Raiders it's their fourth game in five days ...The Hitmen have been on the penalty kill 82 more times than they have had power play chances...Hitmen goaltender Brayden Peters has the eighth best goals against average in the WHL at 2.57 and leads all rookie goalies in minutes played...The Hitmen have outshot their opponents 44 times this season, which equates to 73.3 percent through 60 games... Jett Woo (4g, 19a) tops the Hitmen in power play points with 23. Mark Kastelic leads the WHL in face-off wins with 805 and is tied for sixth in goals with 35.
PLAYOFF BOUND: On. Feb. 22 in Kamloops, the Hitmen clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season and for the eighth time in nine years. Overall this will mark Calgary's 21st post-season appearance in their 25 year club history. As for who they will face in the opening round, it is currently anyone of six teams in; Brandon, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Saskatoon or Winnipeg.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: Calgary is 16-10-3-0 on the road, posting a 6-2 record in their last eight games away from the 'Dome. Prince Albert is 19-6-3-2 at home, without a regular loss at Art Hauser Centre in their last 12 games going 9-0-2.
WHAT'S LEFT: Counting today, of Calgary's eight remaining regular season games, three are at home and five on the road.
FEBRUARY REWIND: Captain Mark Kastelic led all Hitmen last month with 17 points (11g, 6a) in 12 games. His point total tied for seventh best in the WHL. Carson Focht (9g, 5a) was next on the Hitmen with 14 points while Kyle Olson (8g, 5a) and Orca Wiesblatt (2g, 11a) both recorded 13. Kastelic was also the team plus/minus leader at +9.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Josh Prokop (lower body, 3 weeks), Andrew Viggars (upper body, indefinite), Egor Zamula (upper body, 3-to-4 months). Total man-games lost: 151.
BROTHER BATTLE: Today's game features a pair of sibling rivalries; a head-to-head meeting of Orca and Ozzy Wiesblatt and Blake and Nolan Allan Orca, with the Hitmen, has played 121 career regular season games in the WHL while Ozzy has appeared in 125. Blake has played in 123 games while Nolan, has skated in 61 with the Raiders.
HITMEN PLEDGE: The countdown is on to the end of 'The Hitmen Pledge powered by ENMAX' where one lucky participant will win $25,000 for a charity of their choice. This community initiative, happening during the 25th anniversary season of Hitmen hockey, aims to raise 25,000 hours of service for Calgary and surrounding area with over 11,000 volunteer hours recorded thus far. For every 25 hours donated, volunteers receive one entry to the March 22nd $25,000 draw to then gift to a registered Southern Alberta charity. All volunteer hours donated between the September 27, 2019 launch and pledge submission deadline of March 15, 2020 are eligible to be entered. Full details can be found at https://hitmenhockey.com/pledge.
UPCOMING GAMES
All times MT. Schedule subject to change.
Date Opponent Time Broadcast
Wed., Mar. 4 at SAS 6:00 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Fri., Mar. 6 at MH 7:30 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Sat., Mar. 7 vs. SPO 7:00 PM Sportsnet 960-The Fan
Sat., Mar. 14 at RD 7:00 PM Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Sun., Mar. 15 vs. RD 2:00 PM Sportsnet 960-The Fan
PROMO CALENDAR
Hitmen single game tickets are on sale at all Ticketmaster locations. Upcoming home game highlights include:
- Multicultural Night on Mar. 7 vs. SPO.
- WHL Suits Up to Promote Organ Donation presented by RE/MAX on Mar. 15 vs. RD.
- Fan Appreciation presented by Vision Travel on Mar. 22 vs. SC.
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
- Jackson van de Leest and Dakota Krebs are both one assist shy of 50.
- Brayden Peters needs 27 minutes to reach 2,000 for his WHL career.
- Mark Kastelic is five points behind Ryan White for sixth place on the clubs all-time points list. White collected 237 points in four seasons with the club.
- Jack McNaughton is 44 saves behind Mike Snider for eighth place on the clubs all-time saves list. Snider totaled 1,808.
- Last Thursday against Winnipeg, Cael Zimmerman played career game 150.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2020
- Pats Keep Scoreboard Moving in 7-4 Victory - Regina Pats
- Early Deficit Dooms Hitmen - Calgary Hitmen
- Chiefs' Smith Named to Vaughn CHL Team of the Week - WHL
- WHL Suits up to Promote Organ Donation - Saskatoon Blades
- Dylan Guenther Named McSweeney's Player of the Month for February - Edmonton Oil Kings
- 9th Annual Snowbirds Night Is this Friday - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Raiders Ink Graydon Gotaas - Prince Albert Raiders
- Sean Comrie undergoes successful surgery - Kelowna Rockets
- Blades to Lift Lorne Molleken's Builders Banner to the Rafters - Saskatoon Blades
- Game 60 vs Swift Current - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Schneider Earns TELUS Monthly Award - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Final Five Games Bring Plenty of Fun - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Tuesday, March 4 at Prince Albert - Calgary Hitmen
- Game Day Preview: Pats Back on Home Ice Tuesday to Take on Moose Jaw - Regina Pats
- Wolf Earns His Second Vaughn WHL Goaltender of the Month Award this Season - Everett Silvertips
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