Depth key as Hitmen prep for Game 3
By Andrew Schopp – Hitmenhockey.com (@Azschopp)
CRANBROOK, B.C. — The Calgary Hitmen proved in Game 2 with the Kootenay Ice where their depth can take them.
As they defeated the Ice 3-2 in overtime to knot up their Round 1 WHL Playoffs series 1-1, the Hitmen got strong performances from all corners of the lineup with forwards Pavel Karnaukhov, Radel Fazleev and Taylor Sanheim chipping in heavily.
Heading into Games 3 and 4 in Cranbrook on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Hitmen will need to continue to dig deep as they look to bring a 3-1 series lead back to Game 5 on Friday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“That’s the strength of our team,” Hitmen captain Kenton Helgesen said of his team’s depth. “We can get scoring from all four lines. That’s huge for a playoff team.”
After a scoreless opening period on Sunday, Karnaukhov put the Hitmen on the board, netting a power play goal midway through the second frame.
The Ice bounced back scoring a pair of goals just over two minutes apart with markers by Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau to lead 2-1 after 40 minutes of play.
Karnaukhov drew the Hitmen even, adding his second power play goal of the game before Adam Tambellini struck in overtime.
While Sanheim generated a number of scoring chances, Fazleev contributed an assist on each of Karnaukhov’s markers.
Game 2 at the Scotiabank Saddledome was physical in nature and according to Helgesen was a far cry from their 4-3 Game 1 loss on Friday.
In the narrow overtime victory, the Hitmen threw their weight around and after surrendering a number of turnover in the series’ opening game two nights prior, flipped the script on the Ice by capitalizing on the enemy’s mistakes.
“One of our strengths we had (in Game 2) was being able to get pucks in behind their D and use our size to our advantage,” Helgesen said. “We were able to knock guys off pucks and cause turnovers. It leads to chances and those chances lead to goals.”
“Hopefully the positive stuff we did can be reinforced more often,” Hitmen coach Mark French added. “We have to carry that forward.”
The Ice home barn of Western Financial Place was daunting for the Hitmen last season.
During the 2013-2014 campaign, the Hitmen posted a record of 1-3 in Cranbrook before falling to the Ice 4-2 in their Eastern Conference Quarter-Final playoff series.
The Hitmen know what they are up against this time around and with a 2014-2015 road record of 23-12-1, head into enemy territory on Tuesday with confidence.
“We’ve won there before,” Tambellini said. “We know it’s a tough building to play in. They fuel off their fans and the atmosphere, but it’s just another game. It’s two tight checking teams, it’s going to be a tight game in Cranbrook.”
Game 3 puck drop on Tuesday at Western Financial Place is at 7 p.m.
