GAME THREE PREVIEW: CALGARY VS RED DEER
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen return to Scotiabank Saddledome tonight to host the Red Deer Rebels in Game 3 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series. It’s a 7:00 p.m. start and will be their third game in four days after Calgary squared the series on Saturday night with a 2-1 overtime victory in Red Deer. Anaheim Ducks prospect Sean Tschigerl tied the game for the Hitmen with 1:37 remaining in regulation before David Adaszynski scored the game winner at 16:42 of extra time. Goaltender Brayden Peters was instrumental in the outcome making a game high 38 saves in front of an announced crowd of 5,077 at Peavey Mart Centrium. Both teams finished 0-4 on the power play on a night where the Rebels outshot Calgary 39-38. Tonight’s game features the $6 Hitmen Happy Hour from when doors open at 6:00 p.m. until the opening faceoff. Items include pizza, burgers, hot dogs, 14-ounce beer, highballs and 5-ounce house wine all for $6 each.
2023 WHL Playoffs: Round 1 Schedule:
The Hitmen and Rebels opening round playoff series is a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
| Game | Visitor | Home | Result / Date | Series / Time | |
| 1 | Calgary | @ | Red Deer | Rebels 3 Hitmen 0 | Rebels lead series 1-0 |
| 2 | Calgary | @ | Red Deer | Hitmen 2 Rebels 1 OT | Series tied 1-1 |
| 3 | Red Deer | @ | Calgary | Monday, April 3 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 4 | Red Deer | @ | Calgary | Wednesday, April 5 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 5 | Calgary | @ | Red Deer | Friday, April 7 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 6 * | Red Deer | @ | Calgary | Sunday, April 9 | 2:00 p.m. |
| 7 * | Calgary | @ | Red Deer | Tuesday, April 11 | 7:00 p.m. |
*If necessary
GAME 2 STATS: Oliver Tulk led all Hitmen with six shots on goal Saturday in Red Deer. Carter Yakemchuk, Tyson Galloway, Carter MacAdams and Grayden Siepmann were all next with four. Christoffer Sedoff topped all Rebels with six shots on goal while Kai Uchacz and Jayden Grubbe both recorded four. In the face-off circle, Calgary went a combined 35-77 on draws, clicking at 45.5%, up from their Game 1 performance of 33.9%.
SERIES TRENDS: The penalty killers are ruling the series so far going a combined 19-19 with the Hitmen killing all 10 chances for the Rebels…Red Deer has outshot the Hitmen in both games and 75-63 overall. Calgary’s most productive period so far has been the second with 26 shots while Red Deer’s has been the first with a combined 28 shots.
HISTORY BOOKS: Calgary’s overtime win in Game 2 snapped a franchise four-game overtime losing streak. After dropping all four trips to the extra session in the 2019 post-season, their last playoff overtime triumph came in the 2015 Eastern Conference Final. It was on April 28, 2015, when Adam Tambellini scored 3:07 into extra time in a 2-1 home ice victory over Brandon. Tambellini scored twice that night while Brendan Burke made 33 saves in goal.
WELCOME BACK: Two Hitmen are eligible to return to the lineup tonight for Game 3 following WHL imposed suspensions. Keagan Slaney missed the last three games for a charging major assessed on March 27 in Edmonton while Maximum Muranov received a one-game suspension for a slew foot double minor in Game 1.
HITMEN CAREER PLAYOFF LEADERBOARD:
Games Played: Michael Stone 62
Goals: Pavel Brendl 35
Assists: Brandon Kozun and Brad Moran 48
Points: Brad Moran 82
Wins: Martin Jones 32
PLAYOFF RECORD: Calgary has a lifetime playoff record of 136-113. The Hitmen have competed in 45 series prior to this one. They have won 27 and lost 18. Calgary is 31-23 all-time in post-season overtime games.
MARCH MATH: Counting Game 1, the Hitmen went 7-4 last month. Sean Tschigerl (8g, 8a) and Riley Fiddler-Schultz (5g, 11a) led all Hitmen with 16 points each. Oliver Tulk (3g, 6a) was next with nine while Carter Yakemchuk (5g, 3a) and Maxim Muranov (1g, 7a) rounded out the top five with eight points each. Brayden Peters led the goaltending department with a 2.61 GAA and .921 SV%.
INKED: On Thursday the Hitmen signed prospect Keets Fawcett to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The 2006 born forward was listed by the club in December and just finished his season with the U-18 Prep Edge School of the CSSHL. Fawcett notched 39 points (15g, 24a) in 28 games to finish fourth in team scoring. He also added six points (1g, 5a) in five playoff games.
REWIND: The Hitmen and Rebels met eight time during the regular season. Calgary went 2-4-2-0 against their Alberta rivals with three of the games decided in overtime. Sean Tschigerl (4g, 2a), Jacob Wright (2g, 4a) and Oliver Tulk (1g, 5a) were the top performers for Calgary with six points each. Riley Fiddler-Schultz (1g, 4a) and Carter Yakemchuk (1g, 4a) were next with five. Kai Uchacz (9g, 1a) and Jayden Grubbe (3g, 7a) led the way for the Rebels with 10 points each.
