GAME PREVIEW: Calgary at Swift Current | 11.07.25
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (10-4-2-0) play the fifth game of their six-game tour of the WHL’s East Division tonight with a stop in Swift Current against the Broncos (6-8-1-0). Game time is 7:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. MT at Temple Gardens Centre. The Hitmen are 2-1-1 on the trip so far and coming off Wednesday’s 6-2 setback in Moose Jaw. Ethan Moore and Kale Dach both scored for the Hitmen who trailed 3-0 after the first period and 4-2 through 40 minutes. Swift Current also last played Wednesday falling 9-4 in Brandon. Jace McFaul, Stepan Kuryachenkov, Marek Rocak and Caleb Potter all found the back of the net for the Broncos who built a 2-1 first period lead before the Wheat Kings roared back.
SWIFT CURRENT: Tonight is the first of four regular season meetings between the two Trans-Canada Highway rivals. Last season Calgary went 4-1 against the Broncos, including a 1-1 record in Saskatchewan. Oliver Tulk (3g, 4a) led the Hitmen with seven points each. Brandon Gorzynski (3g, 2a), Ben Kindel (2g, 3a) and Carter Yakemchuk (1g, 4a) all notched five. Clarke Caswell (3g, 2a) and Luke Mistelbacher (2g, 3a) were the top performing Broncos with five points each. Their next meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 17 back at Scotiabank Saddledome.
2024-25 SERIES RECAP
Oct. 9/24 in SC: Broncos 4 Hitmen 1…Bronco’s goaltender Reid Dyck was the first star making 30 saves.
Dec. 15/25 in CGY: Hitmen 4 Broncos 3…The Hitmen stormed back from a 2-0 first period deficit.
Feb. 17/25 in SC: Hitmen 4 Broncos 2…Connor Hvidston (1g, 1a) and Oliver Tulk (1g, 1a) led Calgary with two points each.
Feb. 26/25 in CGY: Hitmen 3 Broncos 0…Daniel Hauser made 23 saves for the shutout while Tanner Howe and Ben Kindel both notched 1g, 1a.
Mar. 7/25 in CGY: Hitmen 6 Broncos 2…Oliver Tulk (2g, 1a) led the Hitmen with three points while Ben Kindel (1g, 1a) notched two.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 173 SC 106 Power Plays: CGY 3-19 (15.8%) SC 2-15 (13.3%)
STREAKIN’: Harrison Lodewyk (1g, 1a) is on a two-game point streak…Ben MacBeath (1g, 3a) saw his four-game point streak end Wednesday in Moose Jaw.
ROLLING: The Hitmen have picked up 18 of a possible 24 points in their last 12 games, posting a record of 8-2-2-0.
BROTHER BATTLE: Tonight’s game features a matchup of siblings. On the Hitmen side is 17-year-old Caine who has 12 points (5g, 7a) in 15 games while his 19-year-old brother Trae has four points (1g, 3a) in 11 games for the Broncos.
WE MEET AGAIN: The Broncos roster features former Hitmen forward Noah Kosick. The 17-year-old was traded to Swift Current in the off season for a second-round pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft and a conditional second-round pick in the 2028 draft. Kosick has 20 points (5g, 15a) in 15 games this season.
CHL TOP-10: For the first time this season the Calgary Hitmen have climbed into the CHL Top-10 Rankings presented by Delta Hotels by Marriott. The Hitmen own the #9 spot and are one of four WHL teams to earn the nod joining Edmonton (#8), Prince Albert (#7) and Everett (#2).
WHL HONOUR: Hitmen goaltender Eric Tu has been named the Mary Brown’s Chicken WHL Goaltender of the Week. Tu went 2-0 last week posting a 1.51 goals against average and .942 save percentage in two starts.
TRAVEL LOG: So far on this season long six-game road trip the Hitmen have traveled 2,040 kilometers.
MONTH BY MONTH: September (2-1-0-0), October (7-2-1-0), November (2-1-1-0)
2026 NHL DRAFT: Five Hitmen have been named by NHL Central Scouting as Preliminary Players to Watch ahead of the coming draft. Landon Amrheim and Ben MacBeath are both projected second or third-round picks while Hunter Aura, Aidan Hesse and Andrei Molgachev are all projected to be sixth or seventh-round candidates.
ROSTER MOVE: On Oct. 29, the Hitmen recalled prospect Kale McCann from the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks and added him to the roster as an affiliate player. The 16-year-old has eight points (2g, 6a) in 12 games this season. McCann was a second-round pick of the Hitmen, 29th overall, in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.
DID YOU KNOW? Just three points separate six Hitmen from the team scoring lead currently held by Kale Dach (7g, 8a) at 15 points…Calgary has 24 players on their roster including 13 forwards, nine defencemen and two goaltenders. There are only seven returning players from last season with 16 rookies on the club… The Hitmen are 5-2-2-0 on the road this season. Swift Current is 4-3-1-0 at home.
LEADERSHIP GROUP: The Hitmen have named Calgary Flames prospect and 20-year-old defenceman Axel Hurtig captain of this year’s team. Also wearing a letter as alternate captains are Ethan Moore, Harrison Lodewyk, Brandon Gorzynski and Hunter Aura.
CANADA CALLS: Hitmen 16-year-old defenceman Calder Hamilton is at the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with Canada White. Canada White finished their preliminary schedule 1-1 and face the United States this afternoon in one Semi-Final. The tournament, happening in Truro, Nova Scotia, wraps up on Sunday.
WHL REGULAR SEASON MILESTONES: Aidan Hess eclipsed 100 saves Tuesday night in Regina.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Andrei Molgachev (Upper Body, Day-to-Day), Parker Schellenberg (Lower Body, Week-to-Week).
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: The Hitmen road trip ends tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 8 in Saskatoon against the Blades. Calgary then returns home on Friday, Nov. 14 to welcome the Blades at 7:00 p.m. in the back half of a home-and-home set. Tickets are available at HitmenHockey.com/Tickets.
