GAME PREVIEW: Calgary vs Regina | 03.08.26
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (34-18-8-1) host the Regina Pats (24-29-6-1) this afternoon in a Sunday Funday presented by Brookfield Residential. Game time is 2:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome where fans can enjoy $6 food and drink deals all game long, $3 sips and snacks plus Face Painting, the Fun Zone on the West Concourse and a Post-Game Family Skate. The entire team will also be at the post-game autograph table in front of the CGY Team Store behind Section 212. One option for autographs is the complete set of 2025/26 Hitmen Hockey Cards which are now available for purchase at the Booster Club Table behind Section 211. Packs are $10 cash with proceeds to the Calgary Hitmen Foundation. Fans can also watch today’s game for FREE on Victory+. The Hitmen are coming off Friday’s 3-1 home ice set back to Prince Albert. The Raiders did all their scoring in the second period in a span of 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Harrison Lodewyk replied with the lone Hitmen tally in the final frame to set a new career high with his 13th goal of the season. Regina also last played Friday, rolling to a 6-4 home ice victory over Lethbridge. Cohen Klassen (2g, 1a) and Caden Brown (3a) powered the Pats with three points each.
WHERE THEY STAND: Calgary is fourth in the Eastern Conference at 77 points, two points up on fifth place Brandon (75) and eight points behind third place Edmonton (85). The Hitmen have one game in hand on the Wheat Kings and are even in games played with the Oil Kings. Edmonton hosts Prince Albert this afternoon while Brandon is idle. Regina is seventh in the conference with 55 points, three points up on Red Deer (52) and four points ahead of Moose Jaw (51) with the Warriors currently on the outside of the playoff picture.
REGINA: Today marks the fourth and final meeting between the two clubs and their second in exactly one month. Calgary is 2-0-1-0 against the Pats after going 4-0 last season. Andrei Molgachev (2g, 2a) and Caine Wilke (1g, 3a) are the top performers for Calgary with four points each while Keaton Jundt (2g, 1a), Kale Dach (2g, 1a), Ethan Moore (1g, 2a) and Wyatt Pisarczyk (3a) all have three points each. Keets Fawcett (3g, 1a) leads the Pats with four points. Connor Bear (2g, 1a), Zachary Lansard (1g, 2a), Caden Brown (3a) and Matt Paranych (3a) are next with three points each. Calgary is 7-1-1-1 in their last 10 home games against Regina.
2025-26 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 4/25 in REG: Pats 4 Hitmen 3 OT…Keets Fawcett scored the winner 1:50 into the extra session after Fawcett also tied the game with 2:10 left.
Jan. 24/26 in CGY: Hitmen 6 Pats 3…The Hitmen grabbed the two points despite being outshot 43-40 while goaltender Eric Tu made 40 saves.
Feb. 7/26 in REG: Hitmen 4 Pats 3…Ethan Moore led the Calgary attack (1g, 2a) with three points with the Hitmen holding Regina to 16 shots.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 96 REG 76 Power Plays: CGY 3-11 (27.3%) REG 1-9 (11.1%)
STREAKIN’: Julien Maze (3g, 6a) is on a seven-game point streak. Ty Meunier (1g, 2a) and Ethan Moore (1g, 4a) saw their three-game point streaks end Friday against Prince Alberta while a two-game point streak for Andrei Molgachev (1g, 1a) was also snapped.
DOWN THE STRETCH: Counting tonight, the Hitmen play seven games in 15 days to close out their 68-game regular season schedule. Of those eight, three are on the road and four at home. They will play Edmonton three times with single dates against REG, BDN, RD and LET.
FAST FACTS: Calgary has outshot their opponents in each of the last four games and in seven of the last eight contests. The Hitmen have clinched a berth in the WHL Playoffs for the second season in a row. The Hitmen are 13-6-3-0 against the East Division. Ethan Moore’s goal in Swift Current on Wednesday moved him into a tie with Carter Yakemchuk for 21st place on the club’s all-time regular season goal scoring list with 70. Riley Fiddler-Schultz is 20th with 77 goals.
THE RACE IS ON: Julien Maze (71) leads Kale Dach (69) by two points for the team scoring title. The last time a Hitmen season ended with a tie atop the team scoring race was in the 2019/20 season when both Mark Kastelic (38g, 30a) and Riley Stotts (25g, 43a) finished with 68 points each.
BOWLING WITH THE HITMEN: On Thursday, Mar. 12, it’s your chance to take to the lanes with the Calgary Hitmen. The one night only event with run from 6-8 p.m. Cost is $40 which not only includes two hours of bowling but also a FREE ticket to the Hitmen Fan Appreciate Game and regular season finale Saturday, Mar. 21 against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. Game time is 6:00 p.m. Proceeds from Bowling with the Hitmen will benefit the Calgary Hitmen Foundation. Secure your spot by booking now on the Hitmen website; https://chl.ca/whl-hitmen/hitmen-bowling/
30-GOAL CLUB: The Hitmen have a pair of 30-goal scorers on the roster. Julien Maze has 34 and Kale Dach 33. One season ago Calgary had a trio of 30-goal snipers. Oliver Tulk led the way with 38 followed by Ben Kindel with 35 and Carson Wetsch who tallied 33.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK: The Hitmen power play is third in the WHL at 31.5%. Calgary’s penalty kill is tied for seventh at 79.6%.
HOME & AWAY COMPARISON: Calgary is 17-9-4-0 at home, with points in 13 of the last 15 games (11-2-3-0) at the ‘Dome. Regina is 9-17-2-0 on the road having won two of their last three games in enemy buildings.
SHOT CLOCK: Harrison Lodewyk (97) is three shots shy of 100. Landon Amrhein (101) reached the century mark on Friday against Prince Albert while Caine Wilke (100) hit triple digits on Wednesday in Swift Current. Julien Maze is the club leader with 174 shots on goal.
WHL REGULAR SEASON MILESTONES: Julien Maze needs two goals to reach 50. Hunter Aura needs three assists to reach 50 while Harrison Lodewyk is five points away from 100. Aidan Hesse eclipsed 500 saves on Wednesday in Swift Current.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Rylan Ng (Upper Body, TBD).
HITMEN VS: BDN (2-0-1-0), EDM (4-1), EVT (1-0), KAM (0-1), KEL (0-1), LET (4-2-1-0), MH (1-5-1-1), MJ (1-3), PEN (0-0-1-0), POR (0-1), PA (3-1), PG (1-0), RD (6-1), REG (2-0-1-0), SAS (2-1-1-0), SEA (1-0), SPO (1-0), SC (3-1), TC (1-0), VAN (1-0), VIC (0-0-1-0), WEN (0-0).
OLYMPIC MEDAL: Hitmen graduate Travis Sanheim won silver with Team Canada’s Men’s Hockey Team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The 29-year-old defenceman is in his ninth NHL season with Philadelphia and has 26 points (6g, 20a) in 62 games with the Flyers. Sanheim appeared in 132 career games with the Hitmen from 2013-2016 recording 162 points (35g, 127a).
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Calgary wraps up this three-game homestand on Wednesday, Mar. 11 in a potential playoff preview with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Hitmen will then head to Red Deer on Saturday, Mar. 14 before returning home to host Edmonton the following day on Sunday, Mar. 15 in a 5:00 p.m. puck drop at the ‘Dome.
