Bean sets franchise record, Hitmen capture Shriners Cup
Jason Pirie/hitmenhockey.com
Photo: Jenn Pierce
It was a history-making evening at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Jake Bean notched the game winner, and set a franchise record in the process, as the Calgary Hitmen captured the Shriners Cup with a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.
The 17-year-old sophomore defenceman, Bean, snuck down the left side while on the power play and roofed a short side shot at 6:26 of the second frame for his 24th goal of the season, surpassing Paul Postma for most goals by a Hitmen defenceman in a single season.
Micheal Zipp, Travis Sanheim and Jackson Houck also netted goals for the Hitmen, who not only captured the annual North-South Shrine Hockey Challenge for a second consecutive year but extended their winning streak to three games.
Dario Meyer and Calgary Flames prospect Brett Pollock replied for the Oil Kings, who remain two points up on Medicine Hat for the eighth and final playoff spot up for grabs in the Eastern Conference after the Tigers fell on the road to Kootenay.
“There have been some great players come through this organization so I just feel fortunate to be part of it,” said Bean, who last season also set the franchise record for most points by a rookie defenceman when he recorded 39 points. “It’s nice to get the record off my back. Not that I wasn’t focused on the team before, but to have it out of the way is kind of nice. And my family was here tonight so it was nice to be able to get it at home.”
Though, it took confirmation from upstairs to ensure the record was in fact his.
“I saw the water bottle come off so I assumed it was in,” Bean said. “I think the only guy that didn’t think it went in was the ref.”
Hitmen teammate and leading scorer Radel Fazleev says it’s an honour to play with such a skilled player as Bean.
“If I was a goalie I would cover the short side, but I think he would still find the spot,” quipped Fazleev, who set up three of four Hitmen goals tonight. “When I’m playing with Jake I know if I can find him he’ll get the shot away. He’s just so smart and skilled and he sees the ice very well.”
With the win, the Hitmen swept the Oil Kings in the Battle of Alberta home-and-home set to improve to 39-25-2-2 on the season.
Calgary, which took four of six from their provincial rivals this season, are now only one victory from reaching the 40-win plateau for a fifth consecutive year.
Hitmen netminder Cody Porter made 17 saves and Edmonton’s Payton Lee allowed four goals after being shelled with 40 shots.
Calgary went 2 for 4 on the power play while Edmonton scored once on three opportunities.
The Oil Kings finally solved Porter, who earned his third shutout of the season in a 5-0 win last night at Rexall Place, when Meyer roofed a one-timer from the high left circle with 2:40 to play in the first period. Branden Klatt provided the lone assist.
Zipp, with his fifth tally of the season, got the Hitmen on the board just over two minutes into the second frame when his snapshot from the point found its way through a screen.
The Hitmen gained their first lead of the contest shortly after when Travis Sanheim put the finishing touches on a nifty passing play between him and Fazleev at 5:07.
After Bean provided the Hitmen with a 3-1 advantage on the power play with his record-setting marker, the Oil Kings struck back when Pollock accepted a cross-crease feed from Colton Kehler and made no mistake with 5:41 to play in the middle stanza.
“Jake is a special player,” said Hitmen GM Mike Moore. “Obviously this is a big record for him and to follow in the footsteps of Paul is a pretty big accomplishment. We can’t forget that he’s still only a 17 years old, so he still has some good mileage ahead of him. It was a special night for him and we’re proud of him.”
In the third period, Houck rounded out the scoring with his 19th goal of the season while on the power play at 12:15. Fazleev and Sanheim, each with their third points of the night, pitched in with the helpers.
“We needed to be consistent and stick to our structure these last two games,” said Bean, who has amassed 61 points this season from the back end. “When we do that we know we can beat anyone in the league. We knew these guys were hungry but we kept it in perspective and went out and did what we had to do.”
The Hitmen conclude this three-in-three weekend by hosting the Medicine Hat Tigers – winners of four of their last six – tomorrow afternoon. Game time at the Scotiabank Saddledome is 4 p.m.
