Calgary at Kamloops

The Calgary Hitmen (34-22-2-1) look to sweep their three game BC road trip tonight as they visit the Kamloops Blazers (41-13-1-3).  Internet Broadcast on sportsnet960.ca starts at 8pm MST.  The Hitmen have won two in a row and are coming off last night's 7-1 victory in Kelowna.  Alex Gogolev had a goal and two assists to lead the scoring attack.  The Blazers also played last night but fell 3-2 on home ice to Red Deer, snapping their five game winning streak.  Charles Inglis scored the game winner with 2:23 remaining breaking a 2-2 tie.

Calgary is tied for fifth in the WHL's Eastern Conference with the Saskatoon Blades at 71 points, one back of fourth place Kootenay and five points ahead of seventh place Regina.  Kamloops meanwhile leads the WHL Standings with 86 points and is ranked #3 in all of the Canadian Hockey League this week.  The Blazers have a five point lead over both Tri-City and Portland atop the Western Conference and a three point bulge over Edmonton for number one overall.

                                                  Photo Credit: Tricia Mercuri

VS. KAMLOOPS: Tonight is the second and final regular season meeting with the Blazers.  Calgary leads the season series 1-0 following a 6-3 win in Kamloops on December 30th.  Collin Bowman and Calder Brooks both had three point nights with a goal and two assists each.  The Hitmen scored five unanswered goals after Kamloops opened the scoring just past the five minute mark.  Jake Virtanen, Brooks Macek, Jimmy Bubnick and Alex Gogolev also scored for Calgary.  Calgary is 3-1-1-0 over the last five seasons at Interior Savings Centre.
                                              INSIDE THE SERIES
Shots on Goal: KAM 32  CAL 29  Power Plays: CAL 3-8 (37.5%)  KAM 2-9 (22.2%)

100 CLUB LOOMING: Jimmy Bubnick has scored 99 goals in his WHL career.  Bubnick netted his first goal on October 26, 2007 in a 5-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets as a member of the Kamloops Blazers.

HOME AND AWAY:  Calgary is 18-11-2-0 on the road this season while Kamloops is 22-7-0-0 at home.

STREAKIN’:  The line of Alex Gogolev (1g 3a), Victor Rask (2g 2a) and Brady Brassart (2g 1a) has combined for 11 points on this BC road trip.  Danny Gayle has also had a strong trip with three goals.

Top Scorers

Calgary:
Jimmy Bubnick 26g 32a 58pts
Cody Sylvester 18g 39a 57pts
Brady Brassart 20g 27a 47pts

Kamloops:
Brendan Ranford 33g 41a 74pts
Colin Smith 29g 38a 67pts
Tim Bozon 28g 29a 57pts

NHL CALL:  Hitmen Alumnus Michael Stone (2006-2010) is headed to the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.  The defenceman was called up from their AHL affiliate in Portland on Friday.  Fellow Hitmen grad Kris Foucault played his first NHL game this past week for the Minnesota Wild.