Hitmen Open New Year with Victory over Oil Kings
January 1, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release
Edmonton, AB - The Calgary Hitmen celebrated the arrival of 2025 with a 4-1 New Year's Day victory on the road in Edmonton over the Oil Kings at Rogers Place.
Ottawa Senators prospect Carter Yakemchuk paced the Hitmen attack with a goal and two assists while defence partner Hunter Aura also turned in a multi-point performance with a goal and an assist. Aura's tally was the game winner 36 seconds into the second period that broke a 1-1 tie.
Ben Kindel on the power play and Carson Wetsch on a breakaway rounded out the scoring for the visitors who improve to 2-1 against their Alberta rivals this season.
Anders Millers was exceptional in the Hitmen net making 25 saves to pick up the win, blanking Edmonton through the final 52 minutes after Landon Hanson opened the scoring for the Oil Kings.
Calgary is now 19-11-3-1 sitting just two points behind the Eastern Conference co-leaders in Medicine Hat and Saskatoon.
The Hitmen will cap this run of three straight games on the road when they head to Red Deer to face the Rebels in a 7:00 p.m. start on Friday, Jan. 3. Calgary then returns to Scotiabank Saddledome to begin a five-game homestand on Sunday, Jan. 5 against Regina. Note the earlier 1:00 p.m. start time in another Sunday Funday presented by Brookfield Residential.
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