GAME PREVIEW: HITMEN AT BLADES
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (3-1-1-1) close their two-game Saskatchewan tour today with a matinee in Saskatoon against the Blades (5-2-0-0). Game time is 4:00 p.m. at SaskTel Centre. The Hitmen are coming off last night’s 6-1 victory in Prince Albert. Brayden Peters made 35 saves in a first-star performance while Matteo Danis led the scoring attack with a goal and two assists. Saskatoon, winners of two in a row, has been off since last Sunday’s 4-1 home ice win over Moose Jaw. Conner Roulette led way with a natural hat-trick on a day where the Blades fired 50 shots on goal. The Hitmen are second in the Central Division with eight points while Saskatoon is tied for third in the East with 10 points.
SASKATOON: Today is the first of four regular season meetings between the two clubs. Calgary went 2-2 against the Blades last season, outscoring Saskatoon by a combined 14-10. Sean Tschigerl (3g, 4a) led the Hitmen with seven points while Zac Funk (4g, 2a) and Riley Fiddler-Schultz (1g, 5a) were next with six. Kyle Crnkovic (6g, 2a) was the top performing Blade with eight points. Dating back to 2018, the Hitmen have won six of their last seven games at SaskTel Centre.
2021-22 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 27/21 in CGY: CGY 7 SAS 0…Brayden Peters made 23 saves for the shutout. Sean Tschigerl (3g, 1a) tallied four points.
Dec. 10/21 in SAS: CGY 4 SAS 2…Zac Funk snapped a 2-2 third period tie with 4:22 remaining.
Feb. 9/22 in SAS: SAS 4 CGY 2…Kyle Crnkovic snapped a 2-2 tie with 2:39 remaining.
Feb. 20/22 in CGY: SAS 4 CGY 1…Kyle Crnkovic scored twice for the Blades.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 129 SAS 116 Power Plays: CGY 1-11 (9.1%) SAS 3-16 (18.8%)
STREAKS: Oliver Tulk (5g, 2a) is on a career high five-game point streak while Tyson Galloway (1g, 4a) has points in three consecutive games. Matteo Danis (1g, 3a) has points in back-to-back outings. Grayden Siepmann (1g, 5a) has points in five of his last six games.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: Calgary is 2-0-1-0 on the road this season while Saskatoon is 3-1 on home ice.
SITTING OUT: Hitmen 19-year-old forward Zac Funk will serve the second of a three-game WHL imposed suspension today. He received a charging major in last Monday’s loss against the Wheat Kings. Funk will be eligible to return to the line-up on Friday, Oct. 21 at home against Saskatoon.
FAST FACTS: The Hitmen have only been outshot twice this season through the first six games…Calgary’s penalty kill is ranked fourth in the WHL at 86.4%…The Hitmen have surrendered 14 goals this season, a total that is tied with Red Deer for the Eastern Conference low….Calgary is 1-1 in afternoon games…Matteo Danis is tied for sixth in WHL rookie scoring with five points (2g, 3a) in six games…Ethan Buenaventura is in a two-way tie for the ninth best goals against average in the WHL at 2.01.
CAPTAIN’S LOG: On Oct. 7 the Hitmen named 20-year-old centre Riley Fiddler-Schultz as the 30th Captain in franchise history. The five-player leadership group is rounded out by four alternates in Tyson Galloway, Sean Tschigerl, Keagan Slaney and Jacob Wright. Cael Zimmerman served as team captain last season.
TRANSACTIONS: On Tuesday the Hitmen reassigned 17-year-old goaltending prospect Alex Garrett, leaving the club with two goalies in 20-year-old Brayden Peters and 18-year-old Ethan Buenaventura. On Oct. 6 the Hitmen reassigned defenceman Matthew Sutter. The roster move leaves the club with eight defenceman. The 18-year-old Sutter appeared in 48 games last season as a rookie and one in the 2022-23 campaign recording one career assist. On Sept. 30 the Hitmen filled their third and final 20-year-old spot in a trade with Everett. Calgary acquired forward Jacob Wright from the Silvertips in exchange for 19-year-old forward Steel Quiring, a sixth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft and a third-round pick in 2024. Wright is coming off his first career 20-goal season, finishing 2021-22 with 22 goals and 47 points.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: None.
HITMEN ALUMNUS: Travis Sanheim inked an eight-year contract extension on Thursday with the Philadelphia Flyers. Sanheim is one of eight Hitmen grads to make 2022-23 opening night NHL rosters. Here are the rest; Egor Zamula (PHI), Martin Jones (SEA), Chris Driedger (SEA), Andrew Ladd (ARI), Michael Stone (CGY), Jake Bean (CBJ), Mark Kastelic (OTT),
REGULAR SEASON CAREER MILESTONE WATCH: Riley Fiddler-Schultz needs three goals to reach 50. Sean Tschigerl is four points away from 100.
UPCOMING GAMES: Calgary heads to Red Deer on Wednesday, Oct. 19 before returning home to host the Blades in a rematch on Friday, Oct. 21. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome.
TICKETS: Let the fur fly! Fans can now purchase tickets to one of the most anticipated games of the regular season, the ENMAX Teddy Bear Toss. The game is Sunday, Dec. 4 at 2:00 p.m. at the ‘Dome against 2023 NHL Draft top prospect Brayden Yager and the Moose Jaw Warriors. Admission is $25.99 for adults and $15.99 for kids. Find full details at hitmenhockey.com
