Game Preview: Calgary vs Lethbridge – 10.19.24
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (3-4-1-0) close a three-game homestand tonight when they welcome the Lethbridge Hurricanes (6-1-1-0) to Scotiabank Saddledome. Game time is 6:00 p.m. for Dungeon Wrestling night presented by Vallen, featuring three total matches, one pre-game and one in each intermission. Be sure to take advantage of the $6 Hitmen Happy Hour from when doors open at 5:00 p.m. up until the opening faceoff. Items include pizza, burgers, hot dogs, 14-ounce beer, highballs and 6-ounce house wine all for $6 each. Calgary is coming off Wednesday’s 5-4 home ice overtime loss to the Red Deer Rebels. The Hitmen overcame deficits of 3-0 and 4-3 to earn a point. Ben Kindel (2g, 1a) and Carter Yakemchuk (1g, 2a) both notched three points each for Calgary. Lethbridge meanwhile was at home to Prince George last night and beat the Cougars 7-3. Miguel Marques led the ‘Canes attack with five assists while Will Sharpe (2g, 2a) and Noah Chadwick (1g, 3a) both tallied four points each.
LETHBRIDGE: Tonight is second of eight regular season meetings between the two Central Division rivals. The Hitmen took the opener last month in Calgary’s first victory of the season. Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch and Oliver Tulk counted goals for the Hitmen while Ethan Buenaventura made 19 saves to record the win. Leo Braillard supplied the lone goal for the ‘Canes. Their next three meetings are all in Lethbridge starting on Friday, Nov. 1.
2024-25 SERIES RECAP
Sept. 29/24 in CGY: Hitmen 3 Hurricanes 1…The Hitmen raced out to a 2-0 first period lead.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 29 LET 20 Power Plays: CGY 2-7 (28.6%) LET 1-3 (33.3%)
STREAKS: Four Hitmen in Ben Kindel (3g, 2a), Carson Wetsch (2g), Carter Yakemchuk (2g, 2a) and Oliver Tulk (1g, 3a) all have points in back-to-back games. Forward Brandon Gorzynski (1g, 4a) saw his career high tying three-game point streak end Wednesday against Red Deer while two-game point streaks for Maxim Muranov (1g, 1a) and David Adaszynski (2a) were also snapped the same night.
FAST FACTS: The Hitmen are 2-0-1 in their last three home games…Following tonight’s home game, Calgary will play 10 of their next 12 games on the road…Five Hitmen have at least one shot on goal in all eight games this season in Keets Fawcett, Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch, David Adaszynski and Oliver Tulk…Calgary is tied with Edmonton and Lethbridge for the fewest games played in the Eastern Conference at eight.
INKED: Last Thursday the Hitmen signed 16-year-old prospect Noah Kosick to a Western Hockey League Scholarship and Development Agreement. The forward will make his WHL debut tonight. Kosick was Calgary’s first-round pick, 11th overall in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft. Last season the product of Victoria, BC, recorded 62 points (12g, 50a) in 29 games as a 15-year-old playing U18 Prep in the CSSHL with Pacific Coast Academy.
NHL ALUMNI: Six former Hitmen are on NHL opening night rosters for the 2024-25 season in Jake Bean (Calgary), Chris Driedger (FLA), Mark Kastelic (BOS), Beck Malenstyn (WSH), Travis Sanheim (PHI) and Egor Zamula (PHI).
LEADERSHIP GROUP: Third year forward and San Jose Sharks prospect Carson Wetsch the 32nd captain in Hitmen franchise history. Five teammates will serve as alternates in David Adaszynski, Connor Hvidston, Ben Kindel, Oliver Tulk and Carter Yakemchuk.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Forward Carson Wetsch is in his third season with the Hitmen and is coming off a career year in the WHL where he established new personal highs for goals (25g), assists (25a) and points (50pts). The 18-year-old was originally selected by Calgary in the first-round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, taken 12th overall. Last season Wetsch was a co-winner with Ethan Buenaventura of the Hitmen Humanitarian of the Year Award. Among his efforts was the formation of Carson’s Crew which invited groups to Hitmen games through Kids Up Front.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISION: The Hitmen are 3-1-1-0 on home ice this season. Lethbridge is 1-1 on the road.
LET’S GO CAMPING: Five Hitmen headed to NHL camps this fall: Axel Hurtig (Calgary), Maxim Muranov (Toronto), Oliver Tulk (Los Angeles), Carson Wetsch (San Jose) and Carter Yakemchuk (Ottawa).
ROSTER CONSTRUCTION: There are 25 players on the Hitmen roster with 18 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 (6) – Wetsch, Valliant, Leonard, Fawcett, Osborne, 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), Eric Tu (Lower Body – Day to Day), Keets Fawcett (Lower Body – Day to Day).
UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen will begin a three-game road on Wednesday, Oct. 23 in Medicine Hat against the Tigers. It’s then off to Regina (Oct. 25) and Brandon (Oct. 26) before returning to the ‘Dome on Wednesday, Oct. 30 to once again face the Tigers.
