Calgary 6 Kootenay 5 OT

Cranbrook, BC – Spencer Humphries scored a powerplay goal 59 seconds into overtime lifting the Calgary Hitmen to a 6-5 win over the Kootenay Ice Saturday night at the Cranbrook Recplex.

The win completed a massive comeback for the visitors who fell behind 4-0 less than nine minutes into the first period.

Jimmy Bubnick, with his second goal of the game, and Greg Chase, with 42 seconds remaining, both scored in the final minute to force sudden death.

Victor Rask and Jaynen Rissling provided the other Calgary goals while Alex Gogolev and Brooks Macek both had three assists each.

The win moves Calgary into a tied for third place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with the Medicine Hat Tigers.  Both teams have 89 points with one game remaining.

Calgary closes out the 2011-12 regular season tomorrow night at home against the Kootenay Ice.  Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome.

The Hitmen will then open the 2012 Western Hockey League playoffs at home with Games 1 on Thursday, March 22nd and Game 2 on Friday, March 23rd.  Both are 7:00 p.m. starts at Scotiabank Saddledome against a yet to be determined opponent. 

Playoff tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and online at http://www.ticketmaster.ca/. 

For information on playoff packages and group tickets, call Customer Service at 403-777-4646.

Calgary Hitmen 6 at Kootenay Ice 5 OTFriday, March 16, 2012 - Cranbrook Rec. Complex - Cranbrook, BC

Calgary 1 2 2 1 - 6
Kootenay 4 0 1 0 - 5

1st Period
1, Kootenay, Reinhart 28 (Leach), 4:51.
2, Kootenay, Ismond 16 (McKinlay, Dirk), 7:24 (PP).
3, Kootenay, Benoit 14 (Leach, Cable), 7:54.
4, Kootenay, Pearce 21 (Antilla, Montgomery), 8:24.
5, Calgary, Rask 33 (Macek, Gogolev), 11:00 (PP).
Penalties-Humphries Cal (roughing), 5:00; Ismond Ktn (roughing), 5:00; Bowman Cal (interference), 6:03; Dirk Ktn (slashing), 9:52; Bubnick Cal (roughing), 11:59; Antilla Ktn (tripping), 13:38.

2nd Period
6, Calgary, Bubnick 33 (Brassart, Macek), 6:50 (PP).
7, Calgary, Rissling 5 (Gogolev, Humphries), 11:03.
Penalties-Wand Ktn (roughing, roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 5:08; Dirk Ktn (high sticking), 6:20; Sylvester Cal (interference), 11:23; Antilla Ktn (tripping), 16:46.

3rd Period
8, Kootenay, Leach 12 (Ismond, Reinhart), 3:25.
9, Calgary, Bubnick 34 (Gogolev, Rask), 19:03.
10, Calgary, Chase 6 (Sylvester, Cheek), 19:18.
Penalties-Brassart Cal (roughing), 11:33; Ismond Ktn (roughing), 11:33; Muth Ktn (checking from behind), 19:47.

OT Period
11, Calgary, Humphries 8 (Macek), 0:59 (PP).
Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Calgary 6-15-13-1-35. Kootenay 14-3-9-0-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Calgary 3 / 7; Kootenay 1 / 3.
Goalies-Calgary, Glover 20-12-0-0 (9 shots-6 saves); Driedger 23-12-2-1 (17 shots-15 saves). Kootenay, Lieuwen 27-19-6-2 (35 shots-29 saves).
A-2,840
Referees-Colin Watt (72), Derek Zalaski (8).
Linesmen-Michael Roberts (87), Ian Shaver (74).