Game Preview: Calgary at Lethbridge – 11.01.24
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (5-5-2-1) are on the road in Southern Alberta tonight as they make a stop in Lethbridge to face the Hurricanes (8-3-1-0). Game time is 7:00 p.m. at VisitLethbridge.com Arena. The Hitmen are riding a three-game point streak (1-0-1-1) and coming off Wednesday’s 4-3 home ice shootout loss to Medicine Hat. Ethan Moore scored twice for Calgary while Connor Hvidston also found the back of the net. Rookie goalie Eric Tu made a career-high 40 saves in the setback which saw Gavin McKenna score the lone goal of the shootout in the victory for the Tigers. Lethbridge also last played on Wednesday, skating to a 3-1 home ice win over Swift Current despite being outshot 34-16. Goaltender Brady Smith made 33 saves in a first star performance while Logan Wormald (1g, 1a) and Brayden Edwards (2a) tallied two points each.
LETHBRIDGE: Tonight is third of eight regular season meetings between the two Central Division rivals. Calgary leads the season series 2-0 after grabbing both games at home. Ben Kindel (1g, 4a) has led the way with five points while Carson Wetsch (2g, 1a), Oliver Tulk (1g, 2a) and Connor Hvidston (3a) are all next with three. Brayden Edwards (1g, 1a) and Logan Wormald (2a) are the top performing ‘Canes with two points each. Calgary is 6-7-1-1 in their last 15 visits to the windy city. Their next meeting is once again in Lethbridge on Friday, Dec. 27.
2024-25 SERIES RECAP
Sept. 29/24 in CGY: Hitmen 3 Hurricanes 1…The Hitmen raced out to a 2-0 first period lead.
Oct. 19/24 in CGY: Hitmen 6 Hurricanes 1…Six different Hitmen counted goals in the victory.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 68 LET 41 Power Plays: CGY 3-9 (33.3%) LET 1-7 (14.3%)
STREAKS: Ben Kindel (8g, 8a) is on a seven-game point streak. Carson Wetsch (2a) has points in back-to-back games. Carter Yakemchuk (4g, 6a) saw his six-game point streak end Wednesday against the Tigers while a two-game streak for Oliver Tulk (3a) was also halted the same night.
TRADE WINDS: Yesterday the Hitmen acquired 18-year-old prospect defenceman Drew Peterson along with a sixth-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft from Prince George in exchange for 18-year-old defenceman Fraser Leonard. Peterson is currently playing with the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs and available for call up to the Hitmen. On Tuesday the Hitmen acquired a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft from the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for 18-year-old Brandon Osborne. The defenceman played 31 career games with the Hitmen during parts of two seasons in Calgary.
DIVISIONAL DIET: Tonight is the second game in a stretch that sees the Hitmen play three straight games against teams from their own division. So far, they are 2-3-1-1 against Central Division opponents.
FAST FACTS: The Hitmen have scored a least one power play goal in seven straight games…Calgary was outshot Wednesday by Medicine Hat, marking just the second time this season they have recorded fewer shots than their opponent in a game…Three Hitmen have at least one shot on goal in all 12 games this season in Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch, and Oliver Tulk.
DID YOU KNOW? Calgary plays 11 games in November but just four of those at home. October saw the Hitmen post a record of 4-4-2-1.
YEARLY REWIND: The Hitmen have 13 points through their first 13 games of their 68-game regular season schedule. Last year through their first 13 games they had 10 points after starting the 2023-24 campaign with a record of 4-7-2-0.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISION: The Hitmen are riding a two-game road point streak having gone 1-0-1 in their last two road games. Overall, they are 1-4-1-0 away from Scotiabank Saddledome this season. Lethbridge is one of just three teams without a regulation loss at home posting a record of 7-0-1.
PROSPECT 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: Oliver Tulk is two assists away from 100 while Maxim Muranov is four points shy of the century mark. Tulk is also one goal back of Riley Fiddler-Schultz for 19th place on the clubs’ all-time goal scoring list. Fiddler-Schultz scored 77 goals, Tulk has 76. Keets Fawcett reached the 50-point plateau on Wednesday against Medicine Hat.
ROSTER CONSTRUCTION: There are 23 players on the Hitmen roster with 17 veterans and seven rookies. Roster breakdown as follows:
20’s (3) – Buenaventura, Hvidston, Muranov, 19’s (6) – Adaszynski, Moore, Tulk, Hurtig*, Williams, Yakemchuk, 18’s (4) – Wetsch, Valliant, Fawcett, Bowland*, 17’s (7) – Hamilton, Mayes, Kindel, Gorzynski, Pisarczyk. Aura*, Svancara*, 16’s (3) – Kosick*, Tu*, Ng*
*Denotes rookie
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Robin Svancara (Upper Body – Indefinitely), Sawyer Mayes (Lower Body – Day-to-Day).
UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen are back at home to host Red Deer on Monday, Nov. 4. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary will then depart on their U.S. Division road trip which opens Friday, Nov. 8 in Kent against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
