Hitmen Report: sweeping towards the playoffs
By Ryan Pike
4 years agoThe Calgary Hitmen are playing out the string as they are marching towards the playoffs. They had a productive week, winning all three games they played.
The week that was
The Hitmen extended their winning streak to four games with a trio of wins. They did not trail at all in these games.
On Saturday, the Hitmen headed to Red Deer and beat the Rebels 5-2. Mark Kastelic and Riley Stotts each scored twice, while Josh Prokop added another. Goalie Brayden Peters made 21 saves for the win.
On Sunday, the Hitmen returned home and beat the Rebels 5-2. They received goals from five different players: Dakota Krebs, Stotts, Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Orca Wiesblatt and Josh Prokop. Peters made 23 saves for his second win of the weekend.
On Wednesday the Winnipeg ICE visited Calgary for the first time since relocating from Kootenay. The Hitmen won a tight 3-2 game, with Kastelic scoring the game-winner with 44 seconds left. Krebs and newcomer Conrad Mitchell scored, while Peters made 24 saves for yet another win.
The week ahead
The Hitmen face the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday night at the ‘Dome. Then they host the Red Deer Rebels (again) in an early matinee game on Saturday just hours before the NHL’s Battle of Alberta.
The playoff picture
The Hitmen are 26-15-4-1 with 57 points. They’re fourth in the Central Division and sit in the first wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
- They’re seven points behind Medicine Hat for the last divisional playoff spot.
- They’re five points up on Saskatoon for the other wild-card spot.
- They’re 20 points up on Red Deer, the best non-playoff team in the conference.
As of now: If they finish in the 1st wild-card, they face Winnipeg. If they slip to 2nd, they face Edmonton. If they catch Medicine Hat, they face Lethbridge.
It’s incredibly unlikely that they will miss the playoffs.
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