HITMEN HOST TIGERS FRIDAY ON SPORTSNET

HITMEN HOST TIGERS, LIVE ON SPORTSNET – Jake Virtanen and the Calgary Hitmen (19-7-2-3) battle Tommy Vannelli and the Medicine Hat Tigers (19-9-3-0) for a meeting between top Central Division combatants on Friday night, live on SPORTSNET (7:30pm MST; West, Pacific, ONE)

The Hitmen skated to a 5-3 win over the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Wednesday night for their sixth win in seven outings, and currently sit tied on points with the Edmonton Oil Kings for first place in the Central Division and Eastern Conference standings.  The Hitmen have won four straight home games.  Virtanen sits second on the Hitmen with 15 goals.

The Tigers last saw action on Tuesday when they edged out the visiting Hitmen 1-0 in overtime in Medicine Hat, AB, and currently sit two points back of Edmonton and Calgary for a share of the Central Division lead.  The Tigers have given up the third fewest number of goals in the WHL this season.  Vannelli has nine goals and 24 points in 28 games this season, his first as a Tiger.

It’s the fifth meeting of the season between the Tigers and Hitmen.  The Tigers took three of the first four meetings, with two of those wins coming in overtime or a shootout.

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