Game Preview: Calgary at Seattle – 11.08.24
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (6-6-2-1) open their six-game U.S. Division road trip tonight with a stop in Kent, Washington to take on the Seattle Thunderbirds (5-10-1-1). Game time is 8:05 p.m. (MT) at accesso ShoWare Center. The Hitmen had their four-game point streak snapped on Monday in their last outing, a 3-2 home ice defeat at the hands of Red Deer. Both teams finished with 40 shots on goal as Rylan Ng and Carter Yakemchuk supplied the Calgary goals. Seattle meanwhile enters play following a full five-day break on the heels of last Saturday’s 5-2 home ice loss to Portland. The Winterhawks jumped out to a 3-0 second period lead while Kyren Gronick and Antionio Martorana scored for the T-Birds.
SEATTLE: Tonight is the lone regular season meeting between the two clubs. Last season Seattle made the trip to Alberta on Oct. 20 and posted a 3-2 overtime victory at Scotiabank Saddledome. Jeremy Hanzel counted the game winner just 25 seconds into extra time. Calgary is riding nine-game road winning streak against Seattle dating back to 2004.
Nov. 12, 2022 – Hitmen 2 Seattle 1 OT: Oliver Tulk tallied the winner 1:57 into the extra session while Brayden Peters made 32 saves.
Nov. 23, 2018 – Hitmen 5 Seattle 2: Carl Stankowski made 24 saves in his return to Seattle. Mark Kastelic and Luke Coleman scored twice.
Nov. 11, 2016 – Hitmen 3 Seattle 1: Goaltender Cody Porter made 27 saves to record the win.
Feb. 24, 2015 – Hitmen 3 Seattle 2: Jake Virtanen led the Hitmen with a goal and an assist.
Feb. 9, 2013 – Hitmen 4 Seattle 3 OT: Victor Rask scored the game winner.
Oct. 16, 2010 – Hitmen 3 Seattle 2 OT: Jaynen Rissling scored the game winner.
Dec. 7, 2008 – Hitmen 4 Seattle 1: Martin Jones made 29 saves to record the win.
Nov. 25, 2006 – Hitmen 5 Seattle 2: Martin Jones made 34 saves in the victory.
Nov. 24, 2004 – Hitmen 4 Seattle 2: Ryan Getzlaf scored the game winner.
STREAKS: Rylan Ng (2g, 1a) has scored in back-to-back games while Maxim Muranov (4a) and Oliver Tulk (2a) are both on two-game point streaks. Ethan Moore (2g, 1a) saw his two-game point streak end Monday against Red Deer while a two-game goal scoring streak for Connor Hvidston (2g) was halted the same night.
TRAVEL MAP: The Hitmen left Calgary on Wednesday morning for this U.S. road trip which so far seen the team travel 1,122 kilometers. Before returning home to Alberta they will play six games in 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 11 of their 15 games this season…Three Hitmen have at least one shot on goal in all 15 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 1-1 this month.
SPECIAL TEAMS TRACKER: The Hitmen power play is tied for 10th in the WHL at 23.9% while the penalty kill is tied for sixth at 80%.
THE INCREDIBLE TULK: Hitmen 19-year-old centre Oliver Tulk has a remarkable efficiency on faceoffs this season having won 146 of his 210 draws for a winning percentage of 69.5%. Tulk has won 1,892 career faceoffs in 212 career games.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISION: The Hitmen are riding a three-game road point streak having gone 2-0-1 in their last three road games. Overall, they are 2-4-1-0 away from Scotiabank Saddledome this season. Seattle is 4-2-0-1 at home.
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: Carter Yakemchuk is one game shy of 200. Oliver Tulk is 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. Tulk reached the 100-assist mark on Monday against Red Deer while Maxim Muranov hit the 100-point plateau the same night. David Adaszynski is three assists shy of 50.
ROSTER CONSTRUCTION: There are 24 players on the Hitmen roster with 15 veterans and eight rookies. Roster breakdown as follows:
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).
UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen road trip resumes tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 9 with a stop in Everett against the Silvertips. The journey will then take Calgary to Kennewick to face the Tri-City Americans on Monday, Nov. 11 before 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 Victoria to the ‘Dome for a 7:00 p.m. start.
