GAME PREVIEW: HITMEN VS TIGERS
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (12-6-3-1) play the first of two home games this weekend as they welcome the Medicine Hat Tigers (8-12-4-1) to Scotiabank Saddledome tonight. Game time is 7:00 p.m. Be sure to take advantage of the $6 Hitmen Happy Hour from when doors open at 6:00 p.m. up until the opening faceoff. Items include pizza, burgers, hot dogs, 14-ounce beer, highballs and 5-ounce house wine all $6 each. The Hitmen are coming off last weekend’s trio of games which saw the club go 1-1-1 culminating with Sunday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the visiting Red Deer Rebels. Zac Funk and Jacob Wright both scored for Calgary with Wright’s tally forcing the extra session with 13:36 remaining in regulation. Oliver Tulk chipped in a pair of assists. Medicine Hat is also coming off last weekend’s three-in-three which saw the Tigers go 1-2. Sunday they dropped a 4-2 home ice decision to Prince Albert. Oasiz Wiesblatt and Dallon Melin book ended the scoring Medicine Hat.
WHERE THEY STAND: The Hitmen are sixth in the Eastern Conference with 28 points, just a single point behind Lethbridge with three games in hand. The Tigers are 10th with 21 points, just a single point behind both Swift Current and Prince Albert who share the eighth and final playoff spot.
MEDICINE HAT: Tonight is the third of six regular season meetings between the Hitmen and Tigers. Calgary has won both games by a combined score of 10-3. Riley Fiddler-Schultz (2g, 4a) leads Calgary with six points in the season series while Sean Tschigerl (2g, 1a), Carter Yakemchuk (2g, 1a) and Tyson Galloway (3a) all have three points each. Shane Smith (1g, 1a) is the top performing Tiger with two points. Calgary is 12-1-1-0 in their last 14 home games against Medicine Hat. The two clubs won’t meet again until Saturday, Jan. 21 in Medicine Hat.
2022-23 SERIES RECAP
Nov. 4/22 at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex: Hitmen 5 Tigers 1…The Hitmen scored five answered goals.
Nov. 26/22 in MH: Hitmen 5 Tigers 2…Five different Hitmen scored in the victory.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 67 MH 54 Power Plays: CGY 5-16 (31.3%) MH 0-12 (0%)
STREAKS: Jacob Wright (2g, 8a) is on a career-high tying seven-game point streak. He also had a seven game run last season with Everett. Zac Funk (4g, 4a) is riding a five-game point streak and a four-game goal scoring streak (4g). Riley Fiddler-Schultz (3g, 3a) saw his four-game point streak end last Sunday against Red Deer while a two-game streak for Tyson Galloway (3a) also ended against the Rebels.
NOVEMBER NUMBERS: Riley Fiddler-Schultz led all Hitmen last month with 12 points (6g, 6a) in 10 games. Zac Funk (6g, 5a) was next with 11 while Grayden Siepmann (2g, 8a), Oliver Tulk (5g, 5a) and Jacob Wright (2g, 8a) rounded out the top five with 10 points each. Tulk also led the team in plus/minus at +9.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISION: The Hitmen are 5-3-1-1 on home ice this season while Medicine Hat is 4-5-2-0 on the road.
RECENT RUN: The Hitmen are 9-2-2-0 in their last 13 games.
FAST FACTS: Calgary has outshot their opponent in each of the last five games…The two power play goals surrendered by the Hitmen on Sunday to Red Deer were the most they’ve allowed in a game all season. You have to go all the way back to Feb. 11, 2022 for the last time Calgary gave up two or more power play goals in a game, surrendering three to the Pats…Tonight kicks off Calgary’s December schedule which will see the club play 10 games with four of them on home ice. The Hitmen are 4-1-2-1 against the Central Division.
WHL TOP-10: Brayden Peters is tied for the fourth best save percentage in the league at .922 and is tied for the eighth-best goals against average at 2.37. Grayden Siepmann is tied for 10th in WHL defencemen scoring with 23 points (6g, 17a).
SCOUTS EYE: NHL Central Scouting has released its ‘Preliminary Players to Watch’ list for the 2023 NHL Draft. Hitmen defenceman Grayden Siepmann gained recognition as a ‘C’ ranked skater, projecting as a fourth-fifth or sixth round candidate. .
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: NONE.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Calgary’s penalty kill is number one in the WHL at 89%. On the flip side the power play is 19th at 17.3%.
REGULAR SEASON CAREER MILESTONE WATCH: Jacob Wright is one assist away from 50. Brandon Whynott is four games shy of 100. Sean Tschigerl needs four goals to reach 50.
TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS– Riley Fiddler-Schultz 13
ASSISTS– Grayden Siepmann 17
POINTS– Riley Fiddler-Schultz 24
PLUS/MINUS– Grayden Siepmann +17
WINS– Brayden Peters 8
UPCOMING GAMES: Calgary is back on ‘Dome ice on Sunday, Dec. 4 to host the Moose Jaw Warriors in the ENMAX Teddy Bear Toss. Game time is 2:00 p.m. with fans asked to bring a new or gently used stuffed toy to the game to toss on the ice when the Hitmen score their first goal. Admission is $25.99 for adults and $15.99 for kids.
