Round 2 Game 6 Preview: Calgary at Lethbridge – 04.19.25
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen will look to extend their three-game winning streak tonight as they play Game 6 of their 2025 WHL Eastern Conference Semi-Final series on the road against 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+. Calgary leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 after the Hitmen took Game 5 with a 6-5 overtime victory last night at Scotiabank Saddledome. For the second consecutive game Ben Kindel scored the game winner, this time 6:09 into the extra session to cap an epic comeback for the home side. Trailing 5-2 late in the second period the Hitmen scored three times in the final 20 minutes and 43 seconds to force OT. Kindel (1g, 2a), Brandon Gorzynski (1g, 2a) and Oliver Tulk (1g, 2a) led the Hitmen with three points each while Carter Yakemchuk, Connor Hvidston and Carson Wetsch completed the scoring. Goaltender Anders Miller made 26 saves to pick up the win on a night where Calgary was outshot 31-28.
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 | Hitmen 3 Hurricanes 2 OT | Series tied 2-2 |
| 5 | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Hitmen 6 Hurricanes 5 OT | CGY leads series 3-2 |
| 6 | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Saturday, Apr. 19 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 7 * | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Wednesday, Apr. 23 | 7:00 p.m. |
*If necessary
GAME 5 STATS: Carter Yakemchuk led all Hitmen with five shots on goal last night while Oliver Tulk and Carson Wetsch both notched four. Logan Wormald and Vojtech Port topped the Hurricanes with six shots each. In the face-off circle, Calgary held the advantage, going a combined 31-53 on draws, clicking at 58.5% and were led by Oliver Tulk who went 16-23 (69.6%).
SERIES TRENDS: The road team is 4-1…The team holding the lead on the shot clock has lost all five…The team scoring first is 4-1…The Hurricanes have held the lead for 117 minutes and 48 seconds while the Hitmen have led for 39 minutes and 39 seconds.
SERIES LEADERS: Calgary is led in scoring by Ben Kindel (3g, 3a) with six points while Brandon Gorzynski (2g, 3a) is next with five. Anders Miller is 3-1 with a 2.87 goals against average and .901 save percentage. Noah Chadwick (2g, 3a) and Miguel Marques (1g, 4a) top the Hurricanes in points with five each. Jackson Unger is 2-3 with a 2.51 goals against average and .907 save percentage.
SERIES RECAP: Calgary leads the best-of-seven series 3-2. Lethbridge has outscored Calgary by a combined 16-15.
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.
Game 4 in LET: Hitmen 3 Hurricanes 2 OT…Ben Kindel scored the winner on Calgary’s third shot of the extra session.
Game 5 in CGY: Hitmen 6 Hurricanes 5 OT…Ben Kindel scored the winner as the Hitmen erased a 5-2 deficit.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: CGY 142 LET 145 Power Plays: CGY 2-8 (25%) LET 4-11 (36.4%)
STREAKS: David Adaszynski (1g, 3a) and Brandon Gorzynski (2g, 3a) are both on three-game point streaks. Ben Kindel (2g, 3a), Oliver Tulk (2g, 2a) and Sawyer Mynio (2a) all have points in back-to-back games…Goaltender Anders Miller has won his last three starts… Kalem Parker (2a) saw his two-game point streak end in Game 5.
THE KINDEL CAKE: Hitmen forward Ben Kindel is celebrating his 18th birthday today. The forward from Coquitlam, BC was a second-round pick of the Hitmen, 43rd overall, in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
POST SEASON EXPERIENCE: The Hitmen have a combined 372 games of playoff experience. Sawyer Mynio leads the way with 49 games while Lukas Hansen is next with 40. Connor Hvidston (4g, 11a) has a team leading 15 career playoff points while Ben Kindel (8g, 6a) is next with 14.
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: Anders Miller is third in the WHL post season with a 2.20 goals against average and is seventh with a .915 save percentage…The Hitmen are led by Ben Kindel (8g, 6a), who at 14 points, is tied for 13th in the scoring race. Calgary is 10th on the power play (5-19) at 26.3%. The penalty kill (19-24) is third at 79.2%.
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 145-118. The Hitmen have competed in 47 series prior to this one. They have won 28 and lost 19. Calgary is 33-24 all-time in post-season overtime games.
ROSTER MOVE: On Thursday, the Hitmen announced the signing of 18-year-old forward Aidan Park to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Park was Calgary’s first-round pick, 19th overall, in the 2021 WHL U.S. Priority Draft who spent this past season in the USHL where he was fifth in league scoring (33g, 33a) with 66 points in 55 games with the Green Bay Gamblers. The 6’1”, 188-pound centre is ranked 94th by NHL Central Scouting among North American Skaters for the 2025 draft and made his Hitmen playoff debut last night in Game 5.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Daniel Hauser (Upper Body, Day-to-Day), Tanner Howe (Lower Body, TBD).
UPCOMING GAMES: Game 7, if necessary, will be played back in Calgary on Wednesday, Apr. 23 in a 7:00 p.m. start at Scotiabank Saddledome.
