Calgary Hitmen This Week: Hitmen Host Regina Tuesday And Lethbridge Sunday
December 28, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
CALGARY HITMEN NEWS AND NOTES
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen open a four game home stand Tuesday night when they host the Regina Pats. The Hitmen are coming off Sunday's 3-1 loss in Cranbrook to the Ice. Kootenay goalie Todd Matthews made 34 saves in a first star performance. Special teams played a large role as well as Kootenay killed all nine Hitmen power plays including two 5 on 3's. Jesse Ismond, Matt Fraser and Brayden McNabb all scored for the Ice who built period leads of 1-0 and 3-0. Del Cowan, with his eighth goal of the season, spoiled Matthews' shutout bid scoring the lone Hitmen goal with 2:15 remaining. Calgary is 26-10-1-1 on the season. At 54 points they share top spot in the WHL Standings with Tri-City.
VS REGINA: Tuesday is the third of four meetings with the Pats. Calgary leads the season series 2-0 having outscored Regina by a combined 8-1.
Oct. 9 in Regina; Hitmen 5 Pats 0. Michael Snider made 34 saves for the shutout. Five different Hitmen scored goals; Foucault, Stone, Fiddler, MacKenzie and Kozun.
Dec. 18 in Calgary; Hitmen 3 Pats 1. Hitmen fired 50 shots on goal.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on goal: Cal 90 Reg 56 Powerplays: Cal 2-15 13.3% Reg 0-7 0%
The Hitmen and Pats will wrap up their regular season series on Wednesday, February 10th in Regina.
A TALE OF TWO STORIES: The Hitmen are mired in a powerplay slump. In the last four games Calgary is a combined 0-26 with the man advantage while the penalty kill has been outstanding in that same span killing 17 of 18 shorthanded situations.
THE 300 CLUB: Joel Broda is one game shy of 300 regular season games. At 299, Broda has played 127 games with Tri-City, 109 with Moose Jaw and 63 with the Hitmen.
SECOND PERIOD WOES: In the last two games the Hitmen have been outscored by a combined 6-0 in the middle frame.
MILESTONES: Del Cowan's third period goal Sunday in Cranbrook against the Ice was his 50th career WHL regular season point. Cowan has 28g 22a (50 points) in 154 career games.
WORLD JUNIORS: Two members of the Hitmen are in the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship. Brandon Kozun and Martin Jones are both on Team Canada. Kozun had five points (2g 3a) in Canada's opening 16-0 victory over Latvia. It's also now seven years in a row the Hitmen have had at least one player suit up for Team Canada. 2010: Martin Jones, Brandon Kozun, 2009: Brett Sonne, 2008: Karl Alzner, 2007: Karl Alzner, 2006: Justin Pogge, 2005: Ryan Getzlaf, Andrew Ladd, 2004: Ryan Getzlaf.
STREAKIN': Brandon Kozun (8g 7a) is riding a five game point streak. Matt MacKenzie (1g 1a) has points in back-to-back games. Del Cowan has points in four of his last five games (3g 1a) while Cody Beach (3a) has points in three of his last four.
HOME COOKING: Including Tuesday against Regina, the Hitmen will play 10 of their next 13 games at the Pengrowth Saddledome.
HITMEN VS: (Bran 1-1), (Cwk 1-1), (Edm 4-0), (Evt 1-0), (Kam 0-0), (Kel 0-1), (Ktn 4-1), (Leth 0-1), (MH 2-1-0-1), (MJ 1-2), (Port 1-0), (PA 0-1), (PG 1-0), (RD 3-0), (Reg 2-0), (Sask 1-1), (Sea 1-0), (Spok 0-1), (SC 1-0), (TC 0-0), (Van 2-0)
DRAFTED PLAYERS: The Hitmen have six NHL prospects... Joel Broda-(5th round Washington 2008), Kris Foucault-(4th round Minnesota 2009), Martin Jones-(FA signing LA Kings 2008), Brandon Kozun-(6th round LA 2009), Ian Schultz-(3rd round St. Louis 2008), Michael Stone-(3rd round Phoenix 2008).
DODGE SKATE WITH THE HITMEN: The Calgary Hitmen are proud to once again partner with Dodge for the 10th Annual Dodge Skate with the Hitmen. Following the Sunday, January 3rd Hitmen home game against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes fans can skate with the Hitmen. The entire 2009-10 Calgary Hitmen team will attend this event. Admission is FREE with your game ticket. Fans can lace up their skates in the Olympia Entrance at Section 104. Parents are reminded children under 12 must wear a helmet. Pucks, sticks, shoes, strollers and chairs are NOT allowed on the ice.
IN THE COMMUNITY: On Sunday, January 10th the Hitmen will take part in Pond Hockey by Enmax Energy. Up to 15 members of the Hitmen will take to the ice for grassroots pond hockey with six minor hockey teams. All events, including autographs, will take part at Lake Chaparral (225 Chaparral Drive SE) from 1 to 5:30 p.m.
UP NEXT: The Hitmen open 2010 on Sunday's January 3rd against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Game time is 5:00 p.m. at the Pengrowth Saddledome. Calgary then hosts Kootenay on January 7th and Vancouver January 9th.
Western Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2009
- Chiefs Add Gow - Spokane Chiefs
- Winterhawks Hosting Family-Friendly New Year's Eve Party - Portland Winterhawks
- Cougars Minor Hockey Night January 15, 2010 - Prince George Cougars
- Calgary Hitmen This Week: Hitmen Host Regina Tuesday And Lethbridge Sunday - Calgary Hitmen
- Portland Winterhawks This Week - Portland Winterhawks
- New Years Eve Event Cancelled - Kootenay Ice
- Raiders This Week - Prince Albert Raiders
- Oil Kings Trade For Oilers Draft Pick - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Weekly Ice Report - Kootenay Ice
- Cougars Add Forward Clarke Breitkreuz - Prince George Cougars
- Raiders Add 16 Year Old Affiliate Player - Prince Albert Raiders
- Calgary Hitmen Drop 3-1 Decision To Kootenay Ice - Calgary Hitmen
- Tri-City Fights Off Rust, Takes Down Everett 6-3 - Tri-City Americans
- Portland Downs Spokane 5-4 - Spokane Chiefs
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