MEDICINE HAT TIGERS at CALGARY HITMEN 

Saturday, February 6/10

7:00 p.m. Pengrowth Saddledome

Internet Broadcast on http://www.fan960.com/ starts at 7:00 p.m.

HITMEN HEADLINES:  The Calgary Hitmen play the second half of a home and home series with the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight at the Pengrowth Saddledome.  The Hitmen, winners of three in a row, are coming off Thursday’s 4-1 triumph in Medicine Hat.  Calgary scored three third period goals to break a 1-1 tie.  Kris Foucault and Tyler Fiddler each had a goal and an assist in the win while Tyler Shattock and Cody Sylvester also scored.  Sylvester’s was into an empty net.  The Tigers outshot the Hitmen 34-28, but Martin Jones made 33 saves in a first star performance.  Calgary was 1-6 on the powerplay while Medicine Hat went 0-6.  Calgary has now won six of their last seven to improve to 35-16-1-1.  At 72 points the Hitmen are in a three-way tie for the Central Division lead with Medicine Hat and Kootenay however Calgary has two games in hand on the Ice and four games in hand on the Tigers.  The Hitmen are also second in the Eastern Conference only five points back of the conference and WHL leading Wheat Kings, but with three games in hand on Brandon. 

VS MEDICINE HAT:  Tonight is the sixth and final regular season meeting.  Calgary is 3-1-0-1 against the Tigers this season.  Three of their five meetings have been decided by a shootout. 

September 25 in MH; Hitmen 5-4 Shootout win.  Brandon Kozun 1g 3a plus the shootout winner.

November 13 in Cal; Hitmen 3-2 Shootout win.  Kris Foucault scored the shootout winner.

December 12 in Cal; Tigers 6-5 Shootout win.  Jayce Coyle scored the shootout winner as the Tigers overcame a 3-0 second period deficit.

December 19 in MH; Tigers 6 Hitmen 4.  After falling behind 2-0 the Tigers scored six unanswered goals.

February 4 in MH; Hitmen 4 Tigers 1.  Hitmen scored three third period goals to break a 1-1 tie.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Shots on goal: MH 153 Cal 150 Powerplays: Cal 8-28 28.5% MH 5-28 17.9%

THE 500 CLUB:  The Hitmen victory in Swift Current Wednesday marked a major milestone for Kelly Kisio who posted his 500th win as Hitmen general manager.  Kisio, now in his 12th season with the Hitmen, has twice been awarded the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy given to the WHL’s Top Executive.  He first won it in the 2003-04 season, recapturing the award last season.

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS:  Including tonight against Medicine Hat, the Hitmen have 19 regular season games remaining.  (11 home, 8 road).  Of those, 15 are against Eastern Conference opponents while 12 of the remaining 19 are against teams that currently hold a playoff seed.

STREAKIN:  Justin Kirsch (1g 2a), Kris Foucault (1g 2a) and Cody Beach (1g 1a) all have points in back-to-back games while Joel Broda (6g 3a) and Tyler Shattock (3g 7a) both have points in five of their last six games.  Martin Jones is 3-0 in his last three starts with one shutout, a .67 goals against average and a .979 save percentage.

MARTIN’S MARCH:  Martin Jones continues his climb in the Hitmen regular season record books.  Thursday in Medicine Hat he moved past Alexandre Fomitchev and into second spot in saves with 2,980.  He is now only 20 stops away from 3,000.  Dan Spence tops the charts with 3,285.  Jones also needs just one shutout to tie Justin Pogge for first place on the clubs all-time list.  Pogge has 13, Jones 12.

D-FENCE:  The Hitmen have allowed the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference at 149.  That’s also fourth fewest in the WHL.  Only Tri-City (130), Spokane (137) and Everett (142) have surrendered fewer.

MILESTONES:  Ian Schultz is one goal shy of 50 career regular season markers.  Tyler Shattock needs one assist for 100.  Giffen Nyren played his 250th career game Thursday in Medicine Hat while Misha Fisenko hit the century mark Wednesday in Swift Current.   

NHL DRAFT RANKINGS:  Two Hitmen have cracked NHL Central Scouting’s Mid Term Rankings for the 2010 Entry Draft.  Matt MacKenzie is #85 among North American Skaters while Cody Beach is ranked 181.  The NHL Entry Draft will be held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles from June 25 to 26.

HITMEN TEAM LEADERS:

Goals (27) Joel Broda

Powerplay Goals (15) Joel Broda     

Points (75) Brandon Kozun    

Plus/Minus (+12) Tyler Fiddler

Assists (52) Brandon Kozun              

PIM (133) Ian Schultz                        

Wins (23) Martin Jones

HITMEN VS: (Bran 1-2), (Cwk 1-1), (Edm 4-0), (Evt 1-0), (Kam 0-0), (Kel 0-1), (Ktn 4-3), (Leth 2-2), (MH 3-1-0-1), (MJ 2-2), (Port 1-0), (PA 0-1-1-0), (PG 1-0), (RD 3-0), (Reg 3-0), (Sask 1-2), (Sea 1-0), (Spok 0-1), (SC 2-0), (TC 1-0), (Van 3-0)

DRAFTED PLAYERS: The Hitmen have eight NHL prospects ... Jimmy Bubnick-(5th round Atlanta 2009), Joel Broda-(5th round Washington 2008), Kris Foucault-(4th round Minnesota 2009), Martin Jones-(FA signing LA Kings 2008), Brandon Kozun-(6th round LA 2009), Ian Schultz-(3rd round St. Louis 2008), Tyler Shattock-(4th round St. Louis 2009), Michael Stone-(3rd round Phoenix 2008).

HITMEN ALUMNI: Freddie Pettersson who played two seasons with the Hitmen (2005-06 to 2006-07) is in the Swedish Elite League with Vastra Frolunda HC Goteborg.  The 22 year-old has 33 points (18g 15a) in 46 games.

ENMAX POND HOCKEY:  Tomorrow the Hitmen will take part in Pond Hockey by Enmax Energy.  Twelve Hitmen including Jimmy Bubnick, Del Cowan and Ben Wilson will take to the ice for grassroots pond hockey with six Atom and Pee Wee minor hockey teams.  All events, including autographs, will take part at Marlborough Park (6021 Madigan Dr NE) from 12:15 to 3:45 p.m.

HOCKEY MUMS FIGHT BREAST CANCER:  Tomorrow is the Beattie Homes Calgary Hitmen Skate-A-Thon at the Pengrowth Saddledome! You can join Hitmen players on the ice and raise funds for the breast cancer awareness campaign. All participants with a minimum $20 pledge will get a ticket to the Breast Cancer Awareness game and a commemorative t-shirt while supplies last. Registration and pledge forms are on the Hitmen website (hitmenhockey.com).  The Skate-A-Thon runs from 10:15 to 2:30 with each participant getting a one hour skating session,

AUTOGRAPH SESSION:  Following every weekend home game this season two Hitmen will be signing autographs.  Players will be stationed at the Booster Club table located behind section 211.  However tonight features a special guest at the autograph table as mascot Farley the Fox will be signing.

UP NEXT:  The Hitmen head back on the road for games Tuesday in Swift Current and Wednesday in Regina.  The next Hitmen home game is Friday, February 12th when Calgary hosts Prince Albert.  Game time is 7:00 p.m. at the Pengrowth Saddledome.