WHL Calgary Hitmen

Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Wednesday, October 17 at Saskatoon

Published on October 17, 2018 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


CALGARY HITMEN (1-6-2-0, 4 pts.) at SASKATOON BLADES (7-3-0-0, 14 pts.)

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 - 7:00 p.m. MT - SaskTel Centre

TODAY'S GAME

The Calgary Hitmen play Game 2 of a five-game road trip tonight in Saskatoon against the Blades. The Hitmen started the swing with an 8-4 loss in Prince Albert last night. Calgary product Brett Leason continued his torrid start to the season scoring twice and adding two assists in a first star performance. Leason has hit the scoresheet in all 12 games improving his WHL leading point total to 26. Sergei Sapego, Zack Hayes, Jeremy Masella, Justin Nachbaur, Sean Montgomery and Carson Miller also found the back of the net for the Raiders who built period leads of 3-0 and 5-3. Mark Kastelic, Zach Huber, Luke Coleman and Dakota Krebs provided the Hitmen goals with Tye Carriere picking up an assist for his first career WHL point. Prince Albert outshot Calgary 38-24. The Hitmen went 1-4 on the power play. The Raiders were 1-5.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Radio: Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Webcast: WHL Live at whl.neulion.com

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STREAKS

- Mark Kastelic (3g, 4a), Jake Kryski (2g, 3a) and Kaden Elder (2g, 2a) are all riding three-game point streaks. For Kastelic it's his second such run this season.

- Riley Fiddler-Schultz (1g, 1a) and Luke Coleman (1g, 1a) both have points in back-to-back games.

- Dakota Krebs has scored in two of his last three games.

NOTEWORTHY

VS. SASKATOON: Tonight is the second of four regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Blades. Saskatoon grabbed the opener 12 days ago at the 'Dome by a score of 3-0. Dorrin Luding made 42 saves to record the shutout. The two teams will meet for the third time this month on Sunday, Oct. 28 when the Blades return to Alberta. Over the last five seasons Calgary is 8-4-1-0 against Saskatoon including a 4-1-1-0 mark at SaskTel Centre.

2018-19 SERIES RECAP

Oct. 5/18 at CGY: SAS 3 CGY 0...Logan Christensen and Michael Farren both tallied a goal and an assist.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Shots on Goal: CGY 42 SAS 30 Power Plays: CGY 0-6 (0%) SAS 0-2 (0%)

HOMECOMING: Hitmen forward Kaden Elder is from Saskatoon. The 20-year-old who grew up playing in the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association's Redwings zone last played minor hockey in the city with the Saskatoon Bantam AA Stallions. He recorded 38 points (22g, 16a) in 23 games during the 2011-12 season.

NHL WATCH: On Oct. 1, 110 players from the Canadian Hockey League were listed among NHL Central Scouting's October 'Players to Watch' list for the 2019 NHL Draft. Among them is Hitmen defenceman Jackson van de Leest who received a 'C rating' which indicates fourth/fifth/sixth round candidate. The second year Hitmen blueliner was Calgary's first round pick, 16th overall, in the 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Forward Zach Huber is in his second season in the Western Hockey League. The 18-year-old product of Grandora, Saskatchewan, a hamlet just east of Saskatoon, was Calgary's fourth round pick, 74th overall, in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. With three goals this season, Huber has already eclipsed last year's season tally of two in 56 games.

ROSTER MOVES: On Oct. 6 the Hitmen acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2020 from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for defencemen Dom Schmiemann. On Oct. 4 the Hitmen reassigned goaltender Matthew Armitage and forward Orca Wiesblatt. Armitage, a 19-year-old from Creston, BC, played 20 games for the Hitmen during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons while Wiesblatt, an 18-year-old Calgary product, played in 51 contests with the Hitmen during that same time. On Sept. 27 the Hitmen acquired 20-year-old forward Kaden Elder from the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2019 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft. The addition of Elder, rounds out Calgary's overage group giving the Hitmen a league maximum of three with Luke Coleman and Jake Kryski. On Sept. 26 Calgary added Josh Prokop to the roster. He had started the season in the BCHL with the Vernon Vipers. The Hitmen acquired the rights to Prokop last season in a trade with the Swift Current Broncos. The November 25, 2018 deal saw Calgary obtain Conner Chaulk, Dom Schmiemann, Riley Stotts and the rights to Prokop along with goaltending prospect Ethan Hein and a second-round pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft (Zac Funk) in exchange for graduating forwards Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn and a 2018 fifth-round bantam pick. This trade unites Josh with his younger brother Luke who is in his first full WHL season.

HITMEN IN THE NHL: Nine graduates of the Calgary Hitmen are in the National Hockey League this season. They include: Ryan Getzlaf (ANA), Michael Stone (CGY), Victor Rask (CAR), Karl Alzner (MTL), Andrew Ladd (NYI), Johnny Boychuk (NYI), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Martin Jones (SJS), and Jake Virtanen (VAN).

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.

LEADERSHIP GROUP: The Hitmen have named Mark Kastelic the 26th captain in franchise history. Luke Coleman and Dakota Krebs will serve as full-time alternate captains while Jake Kryski and Riley Stotts will share the third 'A'.

CORRAL SERIES: The Hitmen will play a trio of regular season games this season at the historic Stampede Corral. "The Corral Series" presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports, will see the Hitmen host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday, Feb. 1, the Regina Pats on Wednesday, Feb. 6 and the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday, Feb. 8. All will be 7:00 p.m. starts in the vintage building that first opened on Dec. 15, 1950 and was the original home of the Calgary Flames from 1980-83. Each game will be dedicated to a former elite team who once called the Stampede Corral home by wearing commemorative jerseys of the Calgary Centennials, Calgary Wranglers and Calgary Cowboys. The series will feature a number of exciting events including an opening night pre-game celebration and beer gardens, a luncheon, merchandise and other activities that will make this a week to remember. Tickets go on sale to the public on Nov. 26.

HITMEN GO GREEN: On Sept. 26, National Tree Day, the Calgary Hitmen announced their participation in an environmental initiative called One Ticket, One Tree. The Hitmen will begin a pilot project where a tree will be planted for reforestation projects in the province for each game day and group ticket sold to the One Ticket, One Tree game when they host the Oil Kings on Mar. 8 at 7:00 p.m. In addition, Hitmen players will be in the community this season doing their part to reduce their ecological footprint and bring awareness to local environmental issues.

HITMEN ALUMNUS: Tyler Fiddler, who played parts of four seasons with the Hitmen from 2007-11, is playing pro hockey in Denmark. He has 12 points (5g, 7a) in 10 games with Rungsted Ishockey. Fiddler recorded 103 points (43g, 60a) in 175 games while with Calgary. That has him 50th all-time on the franchise's regular season points list. He was also a member of the 2010 WHL Champion Hitmen.

HITMEN VS: (BDN 0-0), (EDM 0-1), (EVT 0-0), (KAM 0-0), (KEL 0-0), (KTN 0-1), (LET 1-0), (MH 0-0), (MJ 0-0), (POR 0-0), (PA 0-2), (PG 0-0), (RD 0-1-1-0), (REG 0-0-1-0), (SAS 0-1), (SEA 0-0), (SPO 0-0), (SC 0-0), (TC 0-0), (VAN 0-0), (VIC 0-0).

PROSPECT WATCH: Sean Tschigerl, Calgary's first-round pick, fourth overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft is off to a blazing start this season. The 15-year-old is playing Midget Prep with OHA Edmonton in the CSSHL. In eight games Tschigerl has 14 points (7g, 7a) to sit tied for second in team scoring.

TICKET SPECIALS: The 2018-19 Hitmen Hockey Pass is on sale and includes 34 game tickets to be used anytime, in any combination. Pass holders also receive a $50 Scotiabank Saddledome gift card and a complimentary ticket to a select Flames, Roughnecks or Stampeders game. Passes start at less than $7 per ticket for kids and under $15 for adults. Also available is the 10-game Hitmen Flex Pack to be used for any game, in any combination. Students and kids tickets are $10 per game, adults and seniors $20. Applicable fees and taxes apply. Visit HitmenHockey.com to score yours today!

UPCOMING GAMES

All times in MT. Schedule subject to change.

DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST

Oct. 19 at Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Oct. 20 at Brandon 6:30 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Oct. 23 at Red Deer 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)

Oct. 26 vs. Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

Oct. 28 vs. Saskatoon 4:00 p.m. Sportsnet 960-The Fan

PROMO CALENDAR

Hitmen single game tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster. Upcoming home game highlights include:

- Roughnecks Theme on Oct. 26 vs. LET

- Hometown Heroes on Oct. 28 vs. SAS

- Diwali Celebration on Nov. 3 vs. RD

- The Brick Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 9 vs. KAM

- Carols for Christmas on Dec. 14 vs. KEL

- Novice Jamboree on Dec. 16 vs. LET

- Soccer Day on Dec. 30 vs. VAN

- Airdrie Day on Jan. 1 vs. VIC

- Wizarding Day on Jan. 5 vs. MH

- CBE Night on Jan. 25 vs. PG

- Dodge Skate with the Hitmen on Jan. 27 vs. KTN

- The Corral Series - Presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports on Feb.1 vs. BDN, Feb. 6 vs. REG and Feb. 8 vs. PA. Tickets on sale starting Nov. 26

- Family Game on Feb. 10 vs. MJ

- Lunar Celebration/Calgary Catholic on Feb. 15 vs. MH

- TELUS BE BRAVE on Feb. 27 vs. SC

- Multicultural Night on Mar. 1 vs. BDN

- WHL Suits up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation - Presented by RE/MAX on Mar. 3 vs. KTN

- One Ticket, One Tree on Mar. 8 vs. EDM

- Fan Appreciation on Mar. 17 vs. EDM

MILESTONE WATCH

- Mark Kastelic eclipsed the 100 career point total last night in Prince Albert with a goal and an assist. He now has 101 points in 206 games. He is also three goals shy of 50.

Check out the Calgary Hitmen Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 17, 2018


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