Kootenay at Calgary

The Calgary Hitmen host the Kootenay Ice at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the 18th annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss.  Radio Broadcast on Sportsnet 960 The Fan begins at 1pm with a 60 minute pre-game show.  Fans are encouraged to be in their seats early and are asked to bring a new small or medium sized stuff toy to toss on the ice when the Hitmen score their first goal.  This year more than 25-thousand teddy bears have been requested by over 50 local egencies including the Alberta Children's Hospital, Boys and Girls Club of Calgary, YWCA, Red Cross, Salvation Army and Calgary Food Bank.  Tickets are still available at all Ticketmaster locations and the Scotiabank Saddledome box office for as low as $10 for adults and $5 for children (plus GST and SFPFF).  You can also order online at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 1-855-985-5000.

COMING IN:  The Hitmen last played on Friday night dropping a 4-0 home ice decision to Saskatoon.  Kootenay is coming off Friday's 2-0 loss in Edmonton.

THE STANDINGS:  Calgary is 17-6-1-2 sitting third in the WHL's Eastern Conference with 37 points.  Kootenay is 8-16-1-0, last in the 12 team Eastern Conference with 17 points.

HEAD TO HEAD:  Today is the third of eight regular season meetings.  Calgary won the first on September 22nd in Calgary by a score of 5-1.  Zane Jones scored twice to lead the Hitmen scoring attack.  Kootenay then took the second meeting, posting a 4-0 win in Calgary on Novemer 12th.  Mackenzie Skapski made 17 saves to pick up the shutout while Brock Montgomery scored a natural hat trick.

THE SCHEDULE:  Today marks the start of a home-and-home between the Hitmen and Ice with the return contest in Cranbrook on Tuesday night.

HOME AND AWAY:  Calgary is 8-5-1-1 on home ice while Kootenay is 2-7-0-0 on the road.

DIVERSE ATTACK:  In Calgary's last nine wins the game winning goal has been scored by nine different players.

TOP SCORERS:
Calgary
Brooks Macek 11g 17a 28pts
Cody Sylvester 16g 8a 24pts
Brady Brassart 7g 14a 21pts

Kootenay
Sam Reinhart 9g 15a 24pts
Jaeden Descheneau 4g 15a 19pts
Brock Montgomery 11g 6a 17pts