Hitmen Report: Onto the second round

After a very eventful seven-game series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Calgary Hitmen have advanced to the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.

As became the custom in the back half of this series, this game was a bit of a track meet. The Hitmen never trailed, but the Hurricanes kept coming at them – Calgary led by scores of 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and 6-4. Hurricanes starting goalie Carl Tetachuk was chased after allowing his fourth goal.

In his return from injury, Hitmen captain Mark Kastelic had two goals, while Calgary also got offense from Luke Coleman, Josh Prokop, 2019 NHL Draft prospect Cael Zimmerman and Nashville Predators pick Vladislav Yeryomenko. Lethbridge had goals from 2019 NHL Draft prospect Logan Barlage, Colorado Avalanche pick Nick Henry, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Jordy Bellerive and a pair from Vegas Golden Knights pick Jake Leschyshyn.

With their season on the line, the Hurricanes played a similar style as in Game 5… except they managed to complete the comeback. Seven different Lethbridge players scored: Taylor Ross, Zachary Cox, Leschyshyn, Bellerive, Henry, Penguins prospect Calen Addison and 2019 NHL Draft top prospect Dylan Cozens.

Six different Hitmen players scored for their side – Kastelic, Zimmerman, Devan Klassen, Ryder Korczak, James Malm and Kaden Elder – but they just weren’t able to play a tight enough defensive game to sew things up. Addison scored for Lethbridge to force overtime with just 33 seconds left in regulation, and then Ross scored 4:57 into extra time to extend things to a decisive Game 7.

The Hitmen spotted themselves a 3-0 lead off goals from Carson Focht (twice) and Riley Fiddler-Schultz. The Hurricanes made a push to tie, with Cox and Alex Cotton scoring to cut the lead to 3-2. but they couldn’t come all the way back. Kastelic added an empty-netter to finish off the series.

While the Hurricanes definitely had the most dangerous offensive players – Leschyshyn and Addison were two of the top WHL scorers in the first round – the Hitmen got goals from 13 different players and relied on a scoring-by-committee approach. Hitmen netminder Jack McNaughton had the worst numbers of any goalie on a team that advanced, but he was very sharp for them when they needed him to be.

The Hitmen advance to the second round where they’ll face a familiar foe: the Edmonton Oil Kings.