GAME PREVIEW: CALGARY VS SWIFT CURRENT
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (22-30-6-2) play their first home game in over three weeks this afternoon as they welcome the Swift Current Broncos (24-31-5-2) to Scotiabank Saddledome. It’s a 2:00 p.m. start in the Every Child Matters game dedicated to Indigenous youth empowerment through sport and a celebration of the Blackfoot culture. To help mark the day, Calgary will wear a specially designed orange Every Child Matters jersey, collaboration between local Indigenous artists Richard Running Rabbit and Jacob Alexis. Over 3,000 Every Child Matters rally towels will be given out to fans upon entrance, concessions will offer Blackfoot cuisine while the first intermission will showcase on-ice traditional dancers. The game is presented by Siksika Health Services in partnership with the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary, Okaki, and the Blackfoot Confederacy. It’s also another Sunday Funday in the ‘Dome featuring “Farley’s Family Feast” with special $2 prices for cotton candy, water, pop, hot dogs and popcorn plus select $5 menu items including pizza and hamburgers. To help promote the Blackfoot language, today’s contest will be broadcast live in Blackfoot on 88.1 CJWE with announcers Butch Wolfleg, Vincent Yellow Old Women, and Eldon Weasel Child.
LAST OUTING: The Hitmen are coming off last night’s 2-0 win in Medicine Hat. Riley Fiddler-Schultz notched a goal and an assist with Keagan Slaney counting the game winner in his return missing the previous 24 with an injury. Brayden Peters made 13 saves for his fourth career shutout. Swift Current also played last night falling 6-2 in Red Deer where the Rebels jumped out to a 4-0 second period lead.
WHERE THEY STAND: Calgary, at 52 points, is 10th in the Eastern Conference, three points back of Swift Current for the eighth and final playoff spot but with one game in hand on the Broncos. Counting today, the Hitmen have eight games remaining in the regular season with six of those at home. The Broncos have eyes on moving up in the standings sitting just a single point behind seventh place Lethbridge.
DID YOU KNOW? Calgary has killed 11 straight penalties and 51 of their last 56 penalties for an 91.1% efficiency…If the Hitmen played in the Western Conference they would be sixth, sitting nine points clear of a playoff spot…As a team, Calgary is 52.8% in the face-off circle…The Hitmen are 12-15-4-1 against the Central Division…Defenceman Tyson Galloway reached the 100 shot mark last night in Medicine Hat…Two of Keagan Slaney’s three goals this season have been game winners.
vs SWIFT CURRENT: Today is the sixth of eight regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Broncos with Calgary leading the season series 3-2. Sean Tschigerl (3g, 6a) tops the Hitmen with nine points against Swift Current while Riley Fiddler-Schultz (3g, 5a) is next with eight. Josh Filmon (5g, 2a) is the top performing Bronco with seven points. Matthew Ward (1g, 3a) is next with four. The two teams will meet again in five days on Friday, April 1 in Swift Current.
2021-22 SERIES RECAP
Oct. 10, 2021 in CGY: Hitmen 4 Broncos 1…Riley Fiddler-Schultz recorded three assists.
Oct. 22, 2021 in SC: Hitmen 5 Broncos 2…The line of Sean Tschigerl, Riley Fiddler-Schultz & Zak Funk combined for eight points.
Nov. 12, 2021 in SC: Broncos 5 Hitmen 1…Tied 1-1 after the first period, the Broncos struck for four goals in the middle frame.
Jan. 21, 2022 in SC: Hitmen 5 Broncos 2…The Hitmen stormed back from a 2-1 third period deficit.
Jan. 30/22 in CGY: Broncos 4 Hitmen 2…Josh Filmon paced Swift Current with two goals and an assist.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 193 SC 131 Power Plays: CGY 2-19 (10.5%) SC 3-18 (16.7%)
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: The Hitmen are 12-12-4-0 on home ice this season. Swift Current is 9-17-4-1 on the road.
WHL TOP-10: Riley Fiddler-Schultz is third in the WHL in faceoff wins with 735 and ninth in the league in shots on goal with 244…Sean Tschigerl is in a three-way tie for the WHL lead in shorthanded markers with five…Brayden Peters is sixth in minutes played at 2,455 and eighth in saves with 1,177.
DRAFT WATCH: NHL Central Scouting has named two Hitmen players to its midterm rankings ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. Defenceman Grayden Siepmann checks in at 139 among North American skaters while forward Maxim Muranov is 141.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Billal Noori (season ending, upper body), Blake Heward (two weeks, lower body).
HITMEN VS: (BDN 2-0-2-0), (EDM 1-6), (LET 1-2-2-1), (MH 6-1), (MJ 1-5), (PA 1-2-0-1), (RD 1-4-2-0), (REG 4-2), (SAS 2-2), (SC 3-2), WPG (0-4).
HITMEN MONTH-BY-MONTH: October (4-5), November (5-4), December (3-3-3-2), January (5-3-2-0), February (3-8), March (2-7-1-0).
REGULAR SEASON CAREER MILESTONE WATCH: Blake Allan skated in career game 200 last night in Medicine Hat. Blake Stevenson needs two points to reach 100. He is also three goals away from 50.
IN THE SYSTEM: Hitmen prospect AJ Lacroix, Calgary’s second round pick, 34th overall, in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, is in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs. The 16-year-old centre is fifth in team scoring with 39 points (21g, 18a) in 53 games. Ten of his 21 goals have been scored on the power play.
LOTTO DREAMS: Today’s Hitmen RE/MAX 50/50 pot will be a big one in support of the Calgary Hitmen Foundation. The pot started at $20,100 when tickets went on sale at 9:00 a.m. this morning. You can purchase your ticket online at www.hitmenhockey.com/5050
UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen are back on ‘Dome ice Wednesday, March 30 to host the Medicine Hat Tigers. Game time is 7:00 p.m. Calgary will then face the Broncos in a home-and-home set making the trip to Swift Current on Friday, April 1 before the return match at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m.
