Game Day: Hitmen face stiff test in Everett
The Calgary Hitmen (7-6-2-0) will look to to put their worst effort of the season behind them when they visit the U.S. Division-leading Everett Silvertips (14-2-3-0) tonight at XFINITY Arena.
Game time is 8:05 p.m. MT.
In the midst of a six-game road trip, the Hitmen followed up a 3-1 win over Seattle on Friday with a humbling 9-2 setback on Saturday to the Portland Winterhawks.
It was Calgary’s first regulation loss in six games.
“We need to shake it off, forget about it, and move on,” said Hitmen captain Micheal Zipp. “You hate to use excuses, but I think our legs caught up to us after a long trip down and playing the night before. And, for a lot of the young guys, they had never played in front of the type of atmosphere that these teams play in front of down here.
“We’ll be ready to go,” assured the veteran defenceman, whose Hitmen have taken three of the last five meetings with Everett. “They have won a lot of games this season, and they’re playing well, but we’re still optimistic that we match up well against them.”
It will also be a significant game on a personal note for the 20-year-old Edmonton native who began his Western Hockey League tenure in Everett after being selected by the Silvertips in the fourth round of the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft.
The Hitmen acquired Zipp from the Silvertips in January 2014 in exchange for forward Zane Jones.
“It’s going to be special,” said Zipp, who suited up for 59 games over parts of two seasons in Everett. “There will be a lot of emotions for me coming back to where it all started. I made a lot of memories down here – some good, some bad – but overall I’m excited for my last go-round in this barn.”
The ‘Tips, who were edged 3-2 in overtime on Saturday by the Spokane Chiefs, have collected points in eight straight games (6-0-2).
Everett has gone 7-1 on home ice this season while the Hitmen have gone 3-4-1 away from the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Last Meeting
Carsen Twarynski, Jordy Stallard and Colby Harmsworth scored in regulation and Radel Fazleev notched the lone tally in the shootout to propel the Hitmen to a 4-3 win over the visiting Silvertips on Nov. 21, 2015.
Big Addition
The Hitmen have called up 15-year-old defenceman Jackson van de Leest for tonight’s tilt.
A 2016 first round pick, this will be van de Leest’s third game with Calgary after suiting up for the first two games of the regular season versus Kootenay.
The 6-foot-6, 194-pound Kelowna native, who was named the 2015-16 Canadian Sports School Hockey League’s (CSSHL) Defenceman of the Year, has recorded six points and 16 penalty minutes in 11 games with the Okanagan Hockey Academy White Prep team.
Radio: Sportsnet.ca/960 (Alt Stream)
Webcast: WHL Live
Hitmen Season Record: 7-6-2-0
Silvertips Season Record: 14-2-3-0
Hitmen Power Play: 11.4%
Hitmen Penalty Kill: 82.4%
Silvertips Power Play: 21.2%
Silvertips Penalty Kill: 81.2%
2015-16 Season Series: Calgary 1-0
Hitmen Scoring Leaders:
Goals – Carsen Twarynski (6)
Assists – Matteo Gennaro (9)
Points – Matteo Gennaro (13)
Power Play Goals – Matteo Gennaro and Jordy Stallard (2)
Shorthanded Goals – Tyler Mrkonjic (1)
Game Winning Goals – Six players (1)
Plus/Minus – Tyler Mrkonjic (+2)
Penalty Minutes – Taylor Sanheim and Micheal Zipp (27)
Silvertips Scoring Leaders:
Goals – Patrick Bajkov, Dominic Zwerger, Riley Sutter and Noah Juulsen (8)
Assists – Patrick Bajkov (16)
Points – Patrick Bajkov (24)
Power Play Goals – Riley Sutter (3)
Shorthanded Goals – Noah Juulsen (1)
Game Winning Goals – Graham Millar and Patrick Bajkov (3)
Plus/Minus – Patrick Bajkov (+14)
Penalty Minutes – Montana Onyebuchi (18)
Hitmen to Watch
RW Andrew Fyten – A fifth round, 108th overall, draft pick of the Silvertips in 2013, the hard-nosed winger will be out to prove something tonight. “I was cut from Everett and I wasn’t too happy about that because I thought I had done enough to earn a spot,” Fyten told hitmenhockey.com after Calgary had acquired his rights in exchange for a 2016 conditional draft pick. The 18-year-old Edge School alum has registered a goal, an assist and 12 penalty minutes in 14 games this season.
‘Tip to Watch
RW Eetu Tuulola – The Calgary Flames prospect, who the Silvertips selected 40th overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft, brings a physical presence with his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame, a sound two-way game and a deft scoring touch to an already formidable Everett lineup. The 18-year-old power forward, who has been best described as a linebacker on skates, has notched four goals and two assists in his first nine WHL games. After spending a majority of last season with HPK U20 in the Jr. A SM-liiga, Tuulola helped Finland capture gold in April at the World U18 Championships in Grand Forks.
