Game Preview: Calgary at Everett – 11.09.24
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (7-6-2-1) six-game U.S. Division road trip resumes tonight, this time in Everett against the Silvertips (13-3-1-0). Game time is 7:05 p.m. (MT) at Angel of the Winds Arena. The Hitmen opened the journey with a 4-3 overtime win last night in Kent against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Oliver Tulk buried the game winner on a power play, scoring 1:54 into the extra session. Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch and Hunter Aura also tallied goals for the Hitmen who outshot the T-Birds 39-21. Everett meanwhile was in Kennewick last night and fell 8-6 to the Tri-City Americans. Nine different Ams notched multi-point performances while Beau Courtney and Caine Wilke both recorded a goal and two assists each for the ‘Tips.
EVERETT: Tonight is the lone regular season meeting between the two clubs. Last season Everett made the trip to Alberta on Nov. 3 and posted a 6-4 victory at Scotiabank Saddledome. Carter Bear and Austin Roest scored twice for the Silvertips while Carter Yakemchuk had a two-goal game for Calgary. The last time the Hitmen played in Everett was on Nov. 13, 2022, when Calgary posted a 6-3 victory. Zac Funk led the Hitmen with two goals and an assist. Only four players remain on the Hitmen roster from that night in Maxim Muranov, Ethan Moore, Carter Yakemchuk and Oliver Tulk.
STREAKS: Rylan Ng (2g, 2a) and Oliver Tulk (1g, 2a) are both on three-game point streaks. Carson Wetsch (1g, 1a) and Carter Yakemchuk (1g, 2a) have points in back-to-back games.
TRAVEL MAP: The Hitmen left Calgary on Wednesday morning for this U.S. road trip which so far seen the team travel 1,194 kilometers. Before returning home to Alberta they will play their six games in just nine nights.
ROSTER MOVES: On Wednesday the Hitmen added goaltending prospect Kason Kobelka to the roster. The 17-year-old joins the club as an affiliate player following the same day release of 20-year-old netminder Ethan Buenaventura. Kobelka, who signed with the club this past summer, has a 2.21 GAA and .922 save percentage in eight games this season with the Calgary AAA U18 Northstars. The Hitmen now have an opening for an additional 20-year-old as they are one shy of the league maximum of three.
FAST FACTS: This is the first Hitmen U.S. road trip since the 2022-23 season when they posted a record of 3-1-1-0…Calgary has outshot their opponent in 12 of their 16 games this season…Three Hitmen have at least one shot on goal in all 16 games this season in Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch, and Oliver Tulk…Calgary plays 11 games in November but just four of those at home. So far, they are 2-1 this month…Carson Wetsch leads all Hitmen in shots on goal with 65…Three of Calgary’s last five games have all gone to overtime.
DID YOU KNOW? The Silvertips are coached by Steve Hamilton who spent the previous six seasons as bench boss of the Hitmen…The Everett roster includes goaltender Alex Garrett who was traded to the ‘Tips from Calgary on Sept. 24 in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2026 and a conditional sixth-round selection in 2028…Hunter Aura notched a goal and an assist for the Hitmen last night against the Thunderbirds, marking his first career WHL multi-point game.
SPECIAL TEAMS TRACKER: The Hitmen power play is 11th in the WHL at 24.3% while the penalty kill is ninth at 78.3%.
THE INCREDIBLE TULK: Hitmen 19-year-old centre Oliver Tulk has a remarkable efficiency on faceoffs this season having won 168 of his 240 draws for a winning percentage of 70%. Tulk has won 1,906 career faceoffs in 213 career games.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISION: The Hitmen are riding a four-game road point streak having gone 3-0-1 in their last four road games. Overall, they are 3-4-1-0 away from Scotiabank Saddledome this season. Everett is 5-1 at home.
NHL WATCH: Two Hitmen in Ben Kindel and Reese Hamilton have been selected to play in the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota. The two-game series will see the top first-year NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL take on the U.S. National Under-18 team Nov. 26 and 27 in London and Oshawa, Ontario.
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH: David Adaszynski is two assists shy of 50…Eric Tu is 12 minutes away from 500 in his WHL career…Carter Yakemchuk played career game 200 last night in Seattle…Oliver Tulk is tied with Riley Fiddler-Schultz for 19th place on the clubs’ all-time goal scoring list with 77 goals. Brodie Dupont is 18th with 81…Tulk reached the 100-assist mark last Monday against Red Deer while Maxim Muranov hit the 100-point plateau the same night.
ROSTER CONSTRUCTION: There are 24 players on the Hitmen roster with 15 veterans and nine rookies. 20’s (2) – Hvidston, Muranov, 19’s (6) – Adaszynski, Moore, Tulk, Hurtig*, Williams, Yakemchuk, 18’s (4) – Wetsch, Valliant, Fawcett, Bowland*, 17’s (8) – Hamilton, Mayes, Kindel, Kobelka*, Gorzynski, Pisarczyk. Aura*, Svancara*, 16’s (4) – Kosick*, LaPlante*, Tu*, Ng* *Denotes rookie
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Robin Svancara (Upper Body – Indefinitely).
PROSPECT WATCH: Koy Funk, Calgary’s fourth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft is playing in the MJHL with the Portage Terriers. The 16-year-old forward has nine points (5g, 4a) in 14 games.
UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen road trip heads to Kennewick for a date with the Tri-City Americans on Monday, Nov. 11. Calgary then makes stops in Portland (Nov. 13), Spokane (Nov. 15) and Wenatchee (Nov. 16). Their next home game isn’t until Friday, Nov. 22 when they welcome the Victoria Royals to the ‘Dome. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
