Calgary 5 Red Deer 2

Calgary, AB - Brady Brassart scored twice giving him 25 goals on the season as the Calgary Hitmen beat the Red Deer Rebels 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome.

The win clinches home ice advantage for Calgary with the club to host Game 1 and Game 2 of their best-of-seven opening round series at Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday, March 22nd and Friday, March 23rd.  Both will be 7pm starts.  Right now their opponent is one of four possible teams: Kootenay, Regina, Saskatoon or Brandon.

                                             Photo Credit: Brad Watson

Collin Bowman, Jake Virtanen and Jimmy Bubnick, into an empty net, also scored for Calgary who jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead.

Victor Rask chipped in a pair of assists for Calgary who won five of six meetings with the Rebels this season.

Adam Kambeitz and John Persson replied for a Red Deer team that was outshot 30-15 and playing their third game in as many days.

Brandon Glover made 13 saves in the Hitmen net to record his 20th win of the season.  The victory was a franchise first, two goalies with 20 win seasons as Chris Driedger has 22 victories.

Calgary improves to 42-24-2-1.  At 87 points, they sit two points back of Medicine Hat for third in the WHL's Eastern Conference.  Both teams have three games remaining.

The Hitmen return to action Wednesday night to host the Lethbridge Hurricanes.  Game time is 7:00 p.m.

Red Deer Rebels 2 at Calgary Hitmen 5
Sunday, March 11, 2012 - Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB

Red Deer 1 0 1 - 2
Calgary 2 1 2 - 5

1st Period
1, Calgary, Bowman 15 (Bubnick, Cheek), 6:26.
2, Calgary, Virtanen 3 (Clayton, Sutherland), 12:11 (PP).
3, Red Deer, Kambeitz 16 (Persson, Petrovic), 14:08 (PP).
Penalties-Fafard R.d (slashing), 2:48; Persson R.d (roughing), 10:24; Kosterman Cal (tripping), 13:49; Fafard R.d (major-fighting), 19:24; Clayton Cal (roughing, major-fighting), 19:24.

2nd Period
4, Calgary, Brassart 24 (Rask, Humphries), 11:48.
Penalties-Kornelsen Cal (tripping), 3:47; Kambeitz R.d (slashing), 11:48; Sutherland Cal (roughing), 11:48; Kambeitz R.d (holding opp. stick), 16:30.

3rd Period
5, Red Deer, Persson 23 (Kambeitz, Dumba), 3:39.
6, Calgary, Brassart 25 (Kosterman, Rask), 4:10.
7, Calgary, Bubnick 32 (Brooks, Rissling), 19:20.
Penalties-Bricker R.d (charging), 4:53; Ness R.d (high sticking), 12:01.

Shots on Goal-Red Deer 8-4-3-15. Calgary 11-8-11-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Red Deer 1 / 3; Calgary 1 / 5.
Goalies-Red Deer, Pouliot 2-5-0-2 (30 shots-25 saves). Calgary, Glover 20-12-0-0 (15 shots-13 saves).
A-13,100
Referees-Sean Raphael (28), Reagan Vetter (79).
Linesmen-Sean Donnelly (109), Mark MacIsaac (22).