GAME PREVIEW: Calgary at Edmonton | 02.14.26
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (30-14-6-1) close a weekend home-and-home set against the Oil Kings (34-13-3-2) tonight with a Valentine’s Day battle on the road in Edmonton. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Rogers Place. The Hitmen took the opener on home ice last night skating to a 5-3 victory. Trailing 3-1 just over 11 minutes into the first period, Calgary rallied with four unanswered goals including the game winner from Landon Amrhein with 8:06 remaining. Andrei Molgachev would then cement the win with an empty net tally in the final two minutes. Kale Dach led the attack with three points, scoring twice while adding an assist. Julien Maze, on a power play, also scored for the Hitmen who were outshot 31-21 but received a 28-save performance from goaltender Eric Tu. Blake Fiddler, Kayden Stroeder and Ethan MacKenzie supplied the goals for Edmonton. Calgary finished 1-4 with the man advantage while killing all four Oil Kings chances. The Hitmen were also strong on face-offs winning 64.2% of draws (34-53) as center Harrison Lodewyk accounted for 17 of those victories.
WHERE THEY STAND: Calgary is comfortably fourth in the Eastern Conference at 67 points, six points up on fifth place Brandon and six points behind third place Edmonton, which has 73. The Hitmen have two games in hand on the Wheat Kings and one game in hand on the Oil Kings.
EDMONTON: Tonight marks the fifth of eight regular season meetings between the two Central Division rivals and their second in less than 24 hours. Calgary leads the season series 4-0 thanks to three home ice victories with tonight’s game their first visit to the Alberta capital in nearly four months. Overall, the Hitmen have outscored the Oil Kings by a combined 19-10. Kale Dach (3g, 4a) leads the charge with seven points while Ethan Moore (2g, 4a) is next with six. Landon Amrhein (3g, 2a) and Andrei Molgachev (2g, 3a) both have five. Blake Fiddler (2g, 1a) and Gavin Hodnett (3a) have been the top performers for the Oil Kings with three points each. Their next meeting is just over a month away on Sunday, Mar. 15 back in Calgary which will kickoff another home-and-home set.
2025-26 SERIES RECAP
Sept. 27/25 in CGY: Hitmen 6 Oil Kings 3…Six different Hitmen scored in the win with points from nine different players.
Oct. 26/25 in EDM: Hitmen 3 Oil Kings 2…Brandon Gorzynski scored twice for Calgary.
Jan. 28/26 in CGY: Hitmen 5 Oil Kings 2…Trailing 2-1 after 40, the Hitmen erupted for four third-period goals.
Feb. 13/26 in CGY: Hitmen 5 Oil Kings 3…Calgary erased a 3-1 first period deficit.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 110 EDM 119 Power Plays: CGY 2-15 (13.3%) EDM 0-14 (0%)
STREAKIN’: Ethan Moore (4g, 5a) carries a six-game point streak into tonight’s game. Andrei Molgachev (3g, 3a) and Caine Wilke (6a) are both on four-game point streaks. Goaltender Eric Tu has won his last five starts.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Tonight is Calgary’s 10th road game since mid-January and ends a stretch of 10 of 14 games in enemy buildings. To date, they are 5-3-1-0 through those first nine road games which on the map has taken them as far west as Penticton and east to Brandon. On the flip side their next five games are all at home with visits from five different teams (EVT, SAS, RD, MJ, MH).
30-GOAL CLUB: Hitmen forward Julien Maze reached the 30-goal mark last night against Edmonton for the first time in his WHL career. Teammate Kale Dale is just one goal shy of 30 after scoring twice last night. One season ago Calgary had three 30-goal scorers on their roster. Oliver Tulk led the way with 38 followed by Ben Kindel with 35 and Carson Wetsch who tallied 33.
NHL DRAFT COUNTDOWN: NHL Central Scouting has released its midterm rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft. Three Hitmen are on the list of the top 225 North American skaters. Defenceman Ben MacBeath is #20, forward Landon Amrhein is #85 and forward Andrei Molgachev is #199.
HEADING WEST: Two Hitmen have been named to Team East for the WHL’s inaugural Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Both Defenceman Ben MacBeath and forward Landon Amrhein will play in the Wednesday, Feb. 18 contest at the home of the Vancouver Giants, the Langley Events Centre. MacBeath has been named to the leadership group of Team East and will serve as an Alternate Captain. All 23 WHL Clubs are represented in the event with each roster consisting of 22 players. NHL Central Scouting worked with the WHL to determine player selection.
FAST FACTS: Tonight is the third game in a stretch of four games in six days for the Hitmen…Calgary is 14-6-2-1 against the Central Division…Julien Maze is tied for eighth in the WHL in goals with 30 while Kale Dach is 12th with 29…Maze and Dach share the team lead in scoring at 61 points which also ties them for 16th overall in the WHL points race. Dach (61pts) is fourth in WHL rookie scoring, Andrei Molgachev (48pts) is fifth and Ben MacBeath (39pts) 10th…Eric Tu has the WHL’s sixth best goals against average at 2.65 with his .905 save percentage tied for seventh.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK: The Hitmen power play, which has scored at least once in seven straight games, is second in the WHL at 32.2%…Of note Calgary has scored 57 power play goals after scoring 60 goals all of last season with the man advantage. The Hitmen penalty kill, is which is seven for its last seven, has climbed to fourth at 80.6%.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: The Hitmen are 16-6-4-1 on the road having won four straight in enemy buildings while picking up points in six of the last seven games (5-1-1). Edmonton is 15-4-2-2 at home where they have the WHL’s fourth best winning percentage at .739.
MOORE’S MARCH: Ethan Moore’s third period power play marker Wednesday against Swift Current was his 68th career goal, moving him into a tie with Carson Wetsch for 22nd place on the club’s all-time regular season goal scoring list. Moore is now two goals behind Carter Yakemchuk (70) who sits 21st. Assistant Coach Brad Moran is Calgary’s all-time goals leader with 204.
WHL NOD: Hitmen forward Kale Dale is the reigning Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect recorded seven points (4g, 3a) in four games. It’s the second time Dach has grabbed the award this season. The 18-year-old was also the WHL Rookie of the Month in December.
WHL REGULAR SEASON MILESTONES: Goaltender Eric Tu is one appearance away from 50 while Caine Wilke is two games shy of 100. Andrei Molgachev needs two points to reach 50. Luc Trevors played his 50th career game last night against Edmonton.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Wyatt Pisarcyzk (Upper Body, Day-to-Day).
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Calgary opens a five-game homestand with a Family Day Monday, Feb. 16. matinee against the U.S. Division leading Everett Silvertips. Game time is 1:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Hitmen will then enjoy a full four-day break before hosting Saskatoon on Saturday, Feb. 21 in a 6:00 p.m. start at the ‘Dome.
