GAME PREVIEW: CALGARY AT SWIFT CURRENT
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (15-13-4-2) close a three-game Saskatchewan road trip tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos (13-17-4-1). Game time is 6:00 p.m. MT at Innovation Credit Union i-plex. Calgary is 1-1 on the swing that opened with Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout win in Regina followed by Wednesday’s 8-2 loss in Moose Jaw. The Broncos enter the game following a full five-day break having been off since last Saturday’s 5-1 setback in Saskatoon. The Hitmen are seventh in the Eastern Conference with 36 points while the Broncos are in a three-way tie for ninth with Regina and Lethbridge at 31 points. Under the WHL playoff format, the top eight teams qualify for the post season.
HALFWAY HOME: The Hitmen have officially hit the midway mark of their 68 game regular season schedule having played 34 games. They are on pace to finish the 2021/22 season with 72 points and a record of 30-26-8-4. Barring any changes, their remaining 34 games will be played in 73 days, ending with the regular season finale on Sunday, April 3 at home to Swift Current.
VS. SWIFT CURRENT: Tonight is the fourth of eight regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Broncos with Calgary leading the season series 2-1. Sean Tschigerl (3g, 4a) tops the Hitmen with seven against Swift Current while Riley Fiddler-Schultz (1g, 5a) is next with six. Josh Filmon (2g, 1a) and Matthew Ward (1g, 2a) are the top performers for the Broncos with three points each. The Hitmen are 4-1-1-0 in their last six visits to Speedy Creek. The two teams will meet again in nine days on Sunday, Jan. 30 back in Calgary.
2021-22 SERIES RECAP
Oct. 10, 2021 in CGY: Hitmen 4 Broncos 1…Riley Fiddler-Schultz recorded three assists.
Oct. 22, 2021 in SC: Hitmen 5 Broncos 2…The line of Sean Tschigerl, Riley Fiddler-Schultz & Zak Funk combined for eight points.
Nov. 12, 2021 in SC: Broncos 5 Hitmen 1…Tied 1-1 after the first period, the Broncos struck for four goals in the middle frame.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 115 SC 66 Power Plays: CGY 0-11 (0%) SC 2-13 (15.4%)
STREAKS Riley Fiddler-Schultz (5g, 4a) is on a five-game point streak. Brayden Peters has won his last three starts posting a goals against average of 1.95 and a .936 save percentage. Grayden Siepmann (1g, 3a) has points in three of his last four contests. Zac Funk (1g, 2a) saw his two-game point streak end Wednesday in Moose Jaw.
LEADERSHIP GROUP: Cael Zimmerman is the new Hitmen captain, replacing Jackson van de Leest who was traded to Red Deer last week. Zimmerman had served as an alternate this season and has played his entire five-year career in Calgary. Fellow overage forward Blake Allan joins the leadership group as an ‘A’ alongside Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Tyson Galloway and Sean Tschigerl.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Defenceman Blake Heward is in his second season in the Western Hockey League. The 18-year-old was originally drafted by Swift Current in the seventh round, 153rd overall, in the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft before being listed by the Oil Kings. He was acquired by the Hitmen as part of the Luke Prokop trade with Edmonton on Oct. 13, 2021. In 50 career WHL games, Heward has 11 points (2g, 9a) and is a +13. He also has 31 shots on goal. Blake’s father, Jamie, is a former NHL player and currently the assistant coach of the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL.
TRADE WINDS: On Jan. 11, the Hitmen acquired 20-year-old forward Blake Stevenson, 18-year-old defenceman Trey Patterson and a second-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft from Red Deer in exchange for 20-year-old defenceman Jackson van de Leest. On Jan. 5, the Hitmen added 18-year-old forward Steel Quiring from Kelowna in return for 19-year-old forward Adam Kydd and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
DRAFT WATCH: NHL Central Scouting has named two Hitmen players to its midterm rankings ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. Defenceman Grayden Siepmann checks in at 139 among North American skaters while forward Maxim Muranov is 141.
FAST FACTS: Tonight is Calgary’s fifth game in seven days. They are 2-1-1 through the first four…The Hitmen are 8-4-4-2 in their last 18 games…Riley Fiddler-Schultz is 10th in the WHL scoring race with 45 points. He is also tied for first in shots on goal with Connor Bedard at 157 and tied for third in game winning goals with five…Sean Tschigerl tops the league in shorthanded markers with five…Blake Stevenson is tied for seventh in the WHL in power play assists with 14…Brayden Peters is fourth in the WHL in minutes played at 1,618 and saves with 762. His 14 wins are tied for seventh…Calgary is 7-2-1-1 against the East Division…Zac Funk was held without a shot in Moose Jaw on Wednesday for the first time this season. Entering the game he had notched at least one shot in all 32 of his games…The Hitmen power play has scored in six of its last eight games…The Hitmen are 5-8-2-1 on the road this season while Swift Current is 9-7 at home.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Billal Noori (indefinitely, upper body)
HITMEN VS: (BDN 1-0-1-0), (EDM 1-3), (LET 0-2-1-1), (MH 4-1), (MJ 1-1), (PA 1-0-0-1), (RD 1-4-2-0), (REG 2-0), (SAS 2-0), (SC 2-1), WPG (0-1).
ALUMNI WATCH: Kaden Elder, who played the 2018-19 season with the Hitmen, is playing U SPORTS Men’s Hockey with the University of Calgary Dinos. The 23-year-old forward has 15 points (9g, 6a) in 14 games to lead the team in scoring. Elder tallied 59 points (26g, 33a) with the Hitmen in 67 games.
REGULAR SEASON CAREER MILESTONE WATCH: Cael Zimmerman needs two assists to reach 50. Blake Stevenson played in career game 150 on Wednesday in Moose Jaw while Riley Fiddler-Schultz hit the same milestone Tuesday in Regina.
UPCOMING GAMES: Calgary returns home to host Moose Jaw on Sunday, Jan. 23 in a 4:00 p.m. start at Scotiabank Saddledome. The club will then enjoy a full four-day break before kicking off a busy three-game weekend when they welcome Lethbridge to the ‘Dome on Friday, Jan. 28 for a 7:00 p.m. start.
