GAME PREVIEW: Calgary vs Penticton – 10.21.26
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (5-4-0-0), for the first time in franchise history will host the Penticton Vees (4-7-0-1) in a Wednesday night meeting at Scotiabank Saddledome. Game time is 7:00 p.m. Be sure to take advantage of the $5 and $7 Hitmen Happy Hour specials from when doors open at 6:00 p.m. until the opening faceoff. Fans can also watch the game for FREE on YouTube or listen to Hitmen Radio. Post game, the Relliks Cards & Collectibles autograph station is closed tonight behind Section 10 on the East Concourse but will reopen after Friday’s game against Medicine Hat. Calgary is coming off Saturday afternoon’s 7-3 home ice win over Red Deer. Carter Sanderson (3g, 1a) led the charge with his second career hat-trick while goaltender Aidan Hesse made a career-high 36 saves in the victory. Calder Hamilton (2g, 1a) and Charlie Kresl (3a) also helped stir the offense with three points each while Grady Anaka and Hunter Aura completed the scoring. Penticton also last played Saturday, dropping a 5-1 home ice decision to Vancouver. The Vees fired 41 shots on goal but only Gavin Katz was able to solve Giants goaltender Burke Hood who was named the first star.
PENTICTON: Tonight marks the lone regular season meeting between the two clubs and just their second ever battle in WHL history. Last season Calgary made the trip to the Okanagan in the Vees inaugural season with Penticton posting an overtime victory in January. The Hitmen were able to erase second period deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to pick up a point as Keaton Jundt, Blake Vanek and Rylan Ng supplied the goals while Eric Tu made 28 saves on a night where the Hitmen were outshot 32-22.
2025-26 SERIES RECAP
Jan. 17/26 in CGY: Vees 4 Hitmen 3 OT…Ryden Evers scored the winner 3:07 into the extra frame.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 22 PEN 32 Power Plays: CGY 0-1 (0%) PEN 1-3 (33.3%)
ROSTER TURNOVER: Of the 40 players who dressed between both clubs for their lone meeting just over nine months ago, only 17 remain on current rosters with 11 Hitmen and just 6 members of the Vees back this season.
STREAKIN’: Calder Hamilton (2g, 4a) is on a four-game assist streak. Artem Katsuro (2g, 1a) and Hunter Aura (1g, 3a) are on three-game point streaks. Carter Sanderson (4g, 1a) has scored in back-to-back games. Wyatt Pisarczyk (2g, 1a) is on a two-game point streak.
LEADERSHIP GROUP: On Oct. 16 the Hitmen named Carter Sanderson the 34th captain in franchise history. The forward from South Dakota is the first American Captain since Mark Kastelic served from 2018 to 2020. Rounding out the leadership group is Wyatt Pisarczyk, Hunter Aura, and Brennan Brown, who have each been appointed alternate captains for the 2026-27 season.
HOME COOKING: Today is the fourth contest in a five-game homestand for the Hitmen. Following today’s date with Penticton, Medicine Hat stops by the ‘Dome on Friday night. Calgary also has home dates on the horizon against Saskatoon (Oct. 25) and Kamloops (Nov. 1).
DID YOU KNOW? Tonight kicks off the busiest stretch of the season so far for the Hitmen, with the first of four games in five days capped by three games in as many days this upcoming weekend…The Hitmen tied a season-high with 46 face-off wins against Red Deer on Saturday which also marked the third straight game and the fifth time this season the Hitmen have won 40 or more draws in a game…Tonight marks the third time this season the Hitmen will face an opponent from outside their own Division and just the second date with a team from the Western Conference…This is the 32nd season of Hitmen hockey in Calgary since the club started as an expansion franchise in 1995-96.
SHOOTING MENTALITY: Forwards Julien Maze (28) and Artem Katsuro (26) both have at least one shot on goal in all nine games this season. Carter Sanderson is the overall club leader in shots with 30 while Andrei Molgachev (20) and Hunter Aura (20) have also reached the 20 shot plateau.
DOT DOMINANCE: Hitmen sophomore forward Andrei Molgachev is the club leader in faceoff wins with 102. As a team Calgary is 60.1% on draws this season with Charlie Kresl leading the charge at 65.4 % (87-133).
CANADA CALLS: Hitmen Assistant Coach Brad Moran has been named an Assistant Coach for Canada Red at the upcoming 2026 U17 World Challenge. He will make his international coaching debut when the tournament begins on Nov. 1 in Oakville, ON. Last season Hitmen defenceman Calder Hamilton played in the event which also features teams from Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States.
TRADE WINDS: On Oct. 8 the Hitmen completed a trade with the Everett Silvertips acquiring 2007-born defenceman Bode Laylin in exchange for 2008-born forward Caine Wilke and a fourth-round pick in the 2028 WHL Prospects Draft. Laylin, a sixth-round pick of the Calgary Flames in the 2026 NHL Draft, played in the USHL last season recording 38 points (11g, 27a) in 55 games. He made his Hitmen debut last Friday in Red Deer after arriving in Calgary that afternoon. The Calgary Flames prospect has two points (1g, 1a) along with four shots in four games with the Hitmen.
HITMEN ALUMNI REPORT: Oliver Tulk is in the NCAA for the second straight season playing Big-10 with the University of Wisconsin. The 21-year-old forward has five points (1g, 4a) in four games. Tulk played four seasons with the Hitmen, from 2021-2025. He led the team in scoring in his final campaign with 100 points (38g, 62a).
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Rylan Ng (Upper Body, Week-to-Week), Wyatt Pisarczyk (Lower Body, Week-to-Week).
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Calgary kicks off a weekend home and home set with Medicine Hat by hosting the Tigers on Friday, Oct. 23. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Hitmen then make the return visit to the Gas City on Saturday, Oct. 24, also at 7:00 p.m. before returning to the ‘Dome to wrap the weekend on Sunday, Oct. 25 in a 4:00 p.m. start against the Saskatoon Blades.
