The Calgary Hitmen and Brandon Wheat Kings are set to face off in a playoff series that promises to be as tight as the 700 miles separating their home arenas. With the Wheat Kings edging out the Hitmen in regular season wins by a mere two games, and both teams netting 13 goals against each other in their head-to-head matchups, this series is shaping up to be a nail-biter.
The action kicks off Friday night at the Saddledome, with subsequent games scheduled as follows:
- Friday: @ Saddledome, 7 p.m.
- Sunday: @ Saddledome, 7 p.m.
- Tuesday: @ Virden, Man., 6 p.m.
- Thursday: @ Virden, Man., 6 p.m.
- x-Friday, April 3: @ Virden, Man., 6 p.m.
- x-Sunday, April 5: @ Saddledome, 5 p.m.
- x-Tuesday, April 7: @ Saddledome, 7 p.m.
(x-if necessary)
The Hitmen are banking on their solid defensive play to give them the edge. With one of the league's top goaltenders, Eric Tu, leading the charge, they've allowed only 221 goals this season compared to the Wheat Kings' 241.
As Tu puts it, "Defence wins championships, and that’s our goal. It starts from our team playing a 200-foot game."
Offensively, the Hitmen boast a quartet of players who have each tallied 25 or more goals this season. Julien Maze leads the pack with 38 goals, followed by Kale Dach with 34, Andrei Molgachev with 29, and overager Ethan Moore with 25. This offensive firepower will be crucial as they aim to outpace the Wheat Kings.
On the other side, the Wheat Kings are not short on talent either. Luke Mistelbacher and Jaxon Jacobson are among the league’s top point-getters, with 88 and 85 points respectively. Mistelbacher and Joby Baumuller have also been prolific goal-scorers, netting 42 and 40 goals respectively.
With both teams bringing their best to the ice, fans can expect a thrilling series that could very well go the distance.