WHL Calgary Hitmen

Hitmen Play Final two Home Games of WHL Regular Season

February 23, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release


Tuesday, February 24th

-Coast Plaza Hotel Food for Thought 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. at Terrace Road School (2103 46 Street N.W.). Four Calgary Hitmen will play floor hockey and with the help of the Community Kitchen Program feed the entire school.

- Practice 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. Pengrowth Saddledome.

Wednesday, February 25th

- HOME GAME vs. Regina Pats. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Pengrowth Saddledome. The Hitmen are 3-0 against the Pats who are led by Canadian World Junior Gold Medalists Jordan Eberle and Colton Teubert. Radio Broadcast on The Fan 960 and www.fan960.com starts at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 26th

-Coast Plaza Hotel Food for Thought 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. at Ecole St. Martha School (6020 4th Ave N.E.). Four Calgary Hitmen will play floor hockey and with the help of the Community Kitchen Program feed the entire school.

- Practice 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at Pengrowth Saddledome.

Friday, February 27th

- Practice 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. at Pengrowth Saddledome.

Saturday, February 28th

- HOME GAME vs. Kelowna Rockets. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Pengrowth Saddledome. The Hitmen lead the season series 1-0. The Rockets roster boasts three World Juniors. Canadian Gold Medalists Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers along with Sweden's Silver Medalist and Calgary Flames first round pick Michael Backlund. It's fan appreciation night where one lucky fan will win a Dodge Caravan. The first 5,000 fans in the building will receive a Mable Slab Team Poster. Several other prizes will also be given away during the game courtesy of Bestway TV and Appliances. Radio Broadcast on The Fan 960 and www.fan960.com starts at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 1st

- TBA

*Schedule subject to change, all times Mountain Standard Time.

CALGARY HITMEN NEWS AND NOTES

HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen winners of 11 in a row and 15-0-1-0 in their last 16, host the Regina Pats Wednesday night. The Hitmen are coming off Saturday's 2-1 shootout win over the Rebels in Red Deer. Michael Stone forced overtime for the Hitmen scoring with 3:50 left in regulation time. Kris Foucault scored the shootout winner. Martin Jones made 40 saves in goal and was named the games second star. On the night Red Deer outshot Calgary 41-26 including 18-5 in the second period. It was the first time since January 3rd the Hitmen were outshot by an opponent and only the ninth time this season. Both teams went 0-6 on the power play.

VS REGINA: Wednesday is the fourth and final regular season meeting. Calgary leads the season series 3-0 having outscored the Pats by a combined 18-8.

-Nov. 12th in Regina; Hitmen 6 Pats 2. Brandon Kozun 2g as the Hitmen overcame a 2-1 deficit.

-Jan. 25th in Calgary; Hitmen 7 Pats 4. Hitmen set a franchise record with six power play goals.

-Feb. 14th in Regina; Hitmen 5 Pats 2. Brandon Kozun 2g 1a. Martin Jones 31/33.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Shots on goal: Calgary 137 Regina 73. Power plays: Calgary 10-22 45.5% Regina 5-19 26.3%

EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPS: With the win in Red Deer Saturday night the Hitmen clinched the Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship. It's the second year in a row the Hitmen will head into the WHL Playoffs as the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. On February 8th the Hitmen mathematically clinched the Central Division banner with a 4-2 home ice win over Kootenay. This marks the fifth time in franchise history the Hitmen have won the division.

POURING IN THE GOALS: The Hitmen lead the WHL in goals scored this season with 301. The franchise record for most goals scored in a single season is 319 set during the 1998/99 season. With seven games left, including tonight, the Hitmen are 18 goals away from tying the record.

STREAKIN': Martin Jones is 25-0-2-0 in his last 27 starts. He is also unbeaten in regulation time in his last 23 starts at home 22-0-1-0. Brandon Kozun (10g 22a) has points in 15 straight. Kyle Bortis (1g 4a) has points in four straight. Michael Stone (2g 11a) has points in eight of his last nine games. Brett Sonne (19g 12a) had his career high 16 game point streak snapped Saturday in Red Deer.

WHL TOP GUNS: The Calgary Hitmen have five of the Top 10 scorers in the Western Hockey League. Brandon Kozun is second with 102 points; Brett Sonne is third with 89, Kyle Bortis is sixth with 79, Joel Broda is eighth with 77 while Paul Postma is 10th with 75. The Hitmen also have four of the top scoring defencemen in the WHL. Paul Postma leads all blue liners with 75 points; Michael Stone is third with 59, Keith Seabrook is ninth with 47 while Alex Plante is tied for 18th with 38 points. Martin Jones leads the WHL in wins (41), is third in GAA (2.11), minutes played (2936) and save percentage (.915). He's also tied for fourth in shutouts (5). Postma also leads the WHL in plus/minus at +62.

DID YOU KNOW? Calgary has won five in a row at home and eight straight on the road....Brandon Kozun is ranked 149th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. It's their midterm rankings for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft....Three Hitmen have been named WHL Boston Pizza Player of the Week this season; Brandon Kozun twice, Brett Sonne and Keith Seabrook. Joel Broda also did it twice with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

2008-09 HITMEN STANDINGS: Record (54-7-3-1). Home (31-2-1-0). Road (23-5-2-1). Central Division (1st). Conference (1st). Western Hockey League (1st).

HITMEN TEAM LEADERS:

Goals (47) Joel Broda Points (102) Brandon Kozun Plus/Minus (+62) Paul Postma

Assists (64) Brandon Kozun PIM (146) Alex Plante Wins (41) Martin Jones

KILLING TIME: Calgary has killed 50 of their last 52 short handed situations for a 96.2% efficiency.

POSTMA'S STAMP: Paul Postma (75 points) is the highest scoring Hitmen defenceman since the 2000/01 season when Matt Kinch (18g 66a) had 84 points. Postma's 75 points is also tied for third most by a Hitmen D-man in franchise history; (Kinch 84 points 2000/01, Kinch 83 points 19998/99, Kinch 75 points 1999/2000).

PLAYOFF BOUND: On January 28th the Hitmen mathematically clinched a berth in the 2009 WHL Playoffs. This marks the 12th straight season the Hitmen have qualified for the post season.

REGULAR SEASON CAREER WATCH: Brandon Kozun needs one assist for 100. Joel Broda needs four goals for 100.

CAREER YEAR: 14 Calgary Hitmen are having career years in the Western Hockey League; Kyle Bortis 79 points (72), Joel Broda 77 points (53) Bostjan Golicic 52 points (30), Kris Foucault 14 points (3), Brandon Kozun 102 points (53), Jason MacDonald 19 points (7), Matt Mackenzie 12 points (8), Carson McMillan 65 points (42), Paul Postma 75 points (42), Chase Schaber 19 points (4), Ian Schultz 39 points (30), Keith Seabrook 47 points (17), Brett Sonne 89 points (30), Michael Stone 59 points (35) *Previous career high in brackets

WHAT'S LEFT? Including Wednesday vs. Regina the Hitmen have seven regular season games remaining; Two at home and five on the road as the Hitmen won't play a regular season home game in March because of the Tim Hortons Brier at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

RECORD BREAKING SEASON: 11 franchise records have either been tied or broken this season; From Oct. 15/08 to Jan. 16/09 the Hitmen set a new franchise record 18 game home ice winning streak. The previous mark of 14 was set in the 1999/2000 season....On January 25th vs. Regina the Hitmen scored a franchise record six power play goals. In that game defenceman Paul Postma tied the franchise mark for power play points by a defenceman with four....The Pats also scored three power play goals in that game setting a new Hitmen record for most special team goals in a single game by both teams with nine....Postma tied the franchise record for the longest assist streak by a defenceman at eight games (Jan 18 to Feb 5) and set a new Hitmen record for the longest goal scoring streak by a defenceman at five games (Jan 31 to Feb 8).....On January 18th vs. Chilliwack the Hitmen fired 26 third period shots tying a franchise record for most shots in a single period....The Hitmen have seven 20-goal scorers this season, breaking the old mark of six....On Friday, February 21st in a 7-2 win over Red Deer the Hitmen set a new mark for most home ice wins in a single season with 31, most wins by a Hitmen goaltender in a season at 40 by Martin Jones and fastest three goals in a single game scoring three times in 55 seconds.

**Does not include the three broke last night

DRAFTED PLAYERS: The Hitmen have nine NHL prospects ...Joel Broda-(5th round Washington 2008), Carson McMillan-(7th round Minnesota 2007), Alex Plante-(1st round Edmonton 2007), Paul Postma-(7th round Atlanta 2007), Ian Schultz-(3rd round St. Louis 2008), Keith Seabrook-(2nd round Washington 2006), Brett Sonne-(3rd round St. Louis 2007) and Michael Stone-(3rd round Phoenix 2008). Martin Jones-(Los Angeles Kings-Signed ‘08).

THE ROSTER: Calgary is carrying 24 players; (15 forwards, 7 defencemen and 2 goalies)

-Break down....3 (20 year-olds), 7 (19 year-olds), 7 (18 year-olds), 4 (17 year-olds), and 3 (16 year-olds).

HITMEN VS: (Bran 3-0-1-0), (Cwk 1-1), (Edm 5-1), (Evt 1-0), (Kam 2-0), (Kel 1-0), (Ktn 5-2-1-0), (Leth 5-0), (MH 5-0), (MJ 4-0), (Port 1-0), (PA 3-0-1-0), (PG 1-0), (RD 6-0), (Reg 3-0), (Sask 2-2), (Sea 1-0), (Spok 0-0-0-1), (SC 4-0), (TC 0-1), (Van 1-0)

HITMEN ALUMNI: Steve Covington who played five seasons in Calgary (2002/03 to 2006/07) is currently using the WHL scholarship program by taking a business class at Douglas College in New Westminster, BC.

PROMOTIONS: On Saturday, February 28th the Hitmen will host the Kelowna Rockets. It's fan appreciation night where one lucky fan will win a Dodge Caravan. The first 5,000 fans in the building will receive a Mable Slab Team Poster. Several other prizes will also be given away during the game courtesy of Bestway TV and Appliances.

UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen will play their final home regular season game on Saturday. Calgary Flames first round pick Michael Backland and the Kelowna Rockets visit the Pengrowth Saddledome for a 7:00 p.m. start. Calgary will then hit the road for five straight starting Tuesday in Prince George.

Check out the Calgary Hitmen Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2009


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