Round 2 Game 4 Preview: Calgary at Lethbridge – 04.16.25
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen are on the road tonight looking to even their 2025 WHL Eastern Conference Semi-Final series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at VisitLethbridge.com Arena. The post season is presented by Nutrien and powered by RAM with tonight’s game live on Sportsnet 960 The Fan and streamed live for FREE on Victory+. The Hitmen trail the best-of-seven series 2-1 but recorded their first win last night skating to a 5-3 victory in Lethbridge. Captain Carson Wetsch led the way with his first career post season hat-trick which included a pair of empty net goals. David Adaszynski and Axel Hurtig also scored for Calgary while Carter Yakemchuk chipped in a pair of assists. Anders Miller made a game-high 26 saves to record the win on a night where Calgary was outshot 29-23 but never trailed building a trio of one-goal leads along the way.
2025 WHL Playoffs: Round 2 Schedule:
The Hitmen and Hurricanes second round playoff series is a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
| Game | Visitor | Home | Date/Result | Time/Series | |
| 1 | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Hurricanes 4 Hitmen 0 | LET leads series 1-0 |
| 2 | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Hurricanes 2 Hitmen 1 | LET leads series 2-0 |
| 3 | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Hitmen 5 Hurricanes 3 | LET leads series 2-1 |
| 4 | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Wednesday, Apr. 16 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 5 * | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Friday, Apr. 18 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 6 * | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Saturday, Apr. 19 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 7 * | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | TBD | TBD |
*If necessary
GAME 3 STATS: Carson Wetsch and Sawyer Mynio led all Hitmen with four shots on goal each last night. Connor Hvidston was next with three. Caden Price and Brayden Yager topped the Hurricanes with five shots each. In the face-off circle, Calgary held the advantage, going a combined 33-60 on draws, clicking at 55%. Ben Kindel had a team leading 14 faceoff wins (14-21 66.7%).
SERIES TRENDS: The road team has won all three games…There hasn’t been a goal scored in the first period since Game 1…Lethbridge outshot Calgary for the first time in the series last night…The team scoring first has won all three games…The Hurricanes have held the lead for 80 minutes and 28 seconds while the Hitmen have led for 25 minutes and 10 seconds…In the series, Calgary is led in scoring by Carson Wetsch (3g), while Noah Chadwick (1g, 3a) tops the Hurricanes.
SERIES RECAP: Lethbridge leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 and has outscored Calgary by a combined 9-6.
Game 1 in CGY: Hurricanes 4 Hitmen 0…Jackson Unger posted a 33 save shutout.
Game 2 in CGY: Hurricanes 2 Hitmen 1…Lethbridge scored the game winner just 49 seconds after the Hitmen had tied the game with 3:04 left.
Game 3 in LET: Hitmen 5 Hurricanes 3…After a scoreless first period, Carson Wetsch scored a hat-trick for Calgary.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 90 LET 80 Power Plays: CGY 0-5 (0%) LET 3-7 (42.9%)
FAST FACTS: Calgary is 17-4-0-1 in their last 22 games…The Hitmen were outshot last night in Game 3 for the first time in 16 games…During the regular season the Hitmen surrendered an Eastern Conference low 183 goals while scoring 266 goals, second most in the conference… Dating back to the regular season, Calgary is riding an 11-game point streak (10-0-0-1) away from Scotiabank Saddledome.
DO YOU REMEMBER? The last time the Hitmen trailed 2-0 in the WHL Playoffs was in 2019 when they dropped the first two games of their first-round matchup with these same Hurricanes. Calgary went won to win the next three games and eventually the series in seven games.
POST SEASON EXPERIENCE: The Hitmen have a combined 335 games of playoff experience. Sawyer Mynio leads the way with 47 games while Daniel Hauser and Lukas Hansen both have 38. Wyatt Pisarczyk made his WHL playoff debut last night in Game 3.
DID YOU KNOW? Calgary went 3-1 on the road in Lethbridge during the regular season. It all began on Nov. 1, 2024, when they skated to a 5-3 victory and were led by a pair of goals from David Adaszynski. On Dec. 27, 2024, Lethbridge grabbed their lone win, a 4-1 victory, on a night when Tristen Doyle (2g, 1a) led the ‘Canes with three points. Calgary bounced back for a 3-2 win on Jan. 25, 2025, jumping out to a 3-0 first period lead on goals from Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch and Chase Valliant. The Hitmen then grabbed the series finale on Mar. 15, 20205 when Ethan Moore scored twice for Calgary and Daniel Hauser made 24 saves in a 3-1 victory.
PLAYOFF HISTORY: This is the sixth time in WHL history and first time in six years the Hitmen and Hurricanes are meeting in the playoffs. Calgary has won four times.
2005: CGY 4 LET 1 Rd 1– Hitmen were led by Ryan Getzlaf (1g, 7a), Andrew Ladd (1g, 6a) and Justin Pogge (1.29 GAA).
2006: CGY 4 LET 2 Rd 1 – Hitmen were led by Freddie Pettersson (3g, 4a), Craig Lineker (7a), Brodie Dupont (3g, 3A) and Justin Pogge (2.97 GAA).
2008: LET 4 CGY 0 Rd 3 – ‘Canes were led by Mitch Fadden (1g, 6a), Zach Boychuk (4g, 2a), Carter Bancks (4g) and Juha Metsola (1.73 GAA).
2009: CGY 4 LET 0 Rd2 – Hitmen were led by Brandon Kozun (3g, 4a), Kyle Bortis (7a), Joel Broda (3g, 2a) and Martin Jones (1.00 GAA).
2019: CGY 4 LET 3 Rd1 – Hitmen were led by Mark Kastelic (5g, 2a), Carson Focht (4g, 3a), Dakota Krebs (1g, 6a) and Jack McNaughton (3.63 GAA).
PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK: Goaltender Anders Miller is second in the WHL post season with a 1.84 goals against average and is fifth with a .925 save percentage…A total of 15 Hitmen have at least a point in the playoffs and are led by Tanner Howe (2g, 7a) and Ben Kindel (6g, 3a), who at nine points each, are tied for 22nd in the scoring race. A total of 11 different players have counted goals…The Hitmen are tied for 11th on the power play (3-16) at 18.8% while the penalty kill (15/19) is tied for third at 80.0%.
ALL-STARS: Four Hitmen have received Eastern Conference All-Star nods this season. Forwards Oliver Tulk and Ben Kindel were both named first-team all-stars while defenceman Carter Yakemchuk and goaltender Daniel Hauser are second-team all-stars.
HITMEN AWARD NOMINEES: Goaltender Daniel Hauser is one of six nominees for the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy given annually to the WHL Goaltender of the Year. GM Garry Davidson is one of six nominees for the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy given to the WHL Executive of the Year. Forward Oliver Tulk is one of six nominees for the Brad Hornung Trophy handed to the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player and is also up for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy given to the WHL Player of the Year.
PLAYOFF RECORD: Calgary has a lifetime playoff record of 143-118. The Hitmen have competed in 47 series prior to this one. They have won 28 and lost 19. Calgary is 31-24 all-time in post-season overtime games.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Daniel Hauser (Upper Body, Day-to-Day), Tanner Howe (Lower Body, TBD).
UPCOMING GAMES: The Hitmen/Hurricanes series shifts back to Calgary for Game 5 on Friday, Apr. 18 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
