Hitmen Advance to Round 2 After 6-2 Game 7 Victory
April 7, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
Calgary Hitmen vs. Kootenay Ice
(Calgary Hitmen)
Calgary, AB - Connor Rankin scored a natural hat-trick in the first period leading the Calgary Hitmen to a 6-2 win over the Kootenay Ice in Game 7 of their Round 1 WHL Playoff series Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The victory gives the Hitmen a 4-3 series triumph, sending them past the opening round for the 12th time in franchise history, setting up a Round 2 match-up with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Chase Lang, Radel Fazleev and Kenton Helgesen also scored for the home side with Adam Tambellini, Jake Virtanen and Elliott Peterson all adding two assists. Tambellini had a remarkable series to lead the WHL post season scoring race with 15 points (7g, 8a) in seven games.
Rankin and Tambellini both finished Round 1 with seven goals to create a four-way tie for the franchise record for most goals in a single playoff series. Brad Moran scored seven times against the Ice in 1999 while Pavel Brendl struck for seven goals against Red Deer and Prince Albert, also in the 1999 post season.
Calgary carried the play most of the night, outshooting the Ice 35-13 with Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau producing the Kootenay markers.
The Hitmen and Tigers Round 2 best-of-seven playoff series will begin on Friday, April 10, at The Arena in Medicine Hat.
2015 WHL Playoffs: Round 2 Schedule
Round 2 Date Time (MT) Venue
Game 1 Friday, April 10 7:00 p.m. The Arena, Medicine Hat
Game 2 Sunday, April 12 4:00 p.m. Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary
Game 3 Monday, April 13 7:00 p.m. Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary
Game 4 Wednesday, April 15 7:00 p.m. The Arena, Medicine Hat
Game 5* TBD TBD TBD
Game 6* TBD TBD TBD
Game 7* TBD TBD TBD
*Indicates if necessary
Tickets for Round 2 will go on sale tomorrow, April 7, at 10:00 a.m. at all Ticketmaster locations and the Scotiabank Saddledome box office. Visit www.hitmenhockey.com for more details.
A buffet will be served in the Chrysler Club before each home playoff game. For details and buffet reservations, call 403-571-9733. The reservation line is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Images from this story
 Calgary Hitmen vs. Kootenay Ice |
 Calgary Hitmen vs. Kootenay Ice |
Western Hockey League Stories from April 7, 2015
- Rosters and Staff Named for 2015 WHL U.S. Combine Camp - WHL
- Hitmen's Adam Tambellini Named CHL Player of the Week - WHL
- Tickets for Game 1 and 4 in Medicine Hat Available to Ticket Holders - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Sarthou Named to Team USA for IIHF U-18 Tournament - Tri-City Americans
- Hitmen Advance to Round 2 After 6-2 Game 7 Victory - Calgary Hitmen
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