Hitmen on upward trajectory following shaky start
Perhaps this could end up being a special season for the Calgary Hitmen after all.
It didn’t start out that way for the Western Hockey League team, with six straight losses and eight in the first nine games.
But power to them, because the Hitmen have found their way back into contention, picking up 15 of a possible 20 points in 10 games, going 7-2-0-1 in that span.
Sunday’s 5-1 domination of the Moose Jaw Warriors — a strong team they had not defeated at the Saddledome in five seasons — is proof positive the Hitmen are trending in the right direction.
It followed a 4-3 overtime triumph Saturday night at the Dome over the rival Edmonton Oil Kings as part of a three-games-in-threedays weekend.
“I think as a group we’ve taken a step forward here, and nice to see it transfer to two home-ice games as well,” said Hitmen head coach Steve Hamilton. “Guys are just feeling good about what we’re doing, and I think the way we play complements our group.”
On Sunday, the home squad was full value for its effort in front of 8,701 fans at the Saddledome.
Kaden Elder opened scoring with a nifty tip on a power play shot-pass from Josh Prokop midway through the first period.
The veteran then one-timed a pass from Luke Coleman to put the Hitmen up two goals just three minutes into the second period.
They were the 10th and the 11th goals of the year for Elder, whose work ethic and leadership have helped the Hitmen find their feet after being acquired in an earlyseason trade with the Swift Current Broncos.
Elder also tipped home the game-winner 2:30 into overtime Saturday to propel the host Hitmen past the Oil Kings.
“Our special teams have been unreal,” Elder said. “Our powerplay’s starting to click really well, and our penalty-kill’s been unbelievable. We’ve been blocking a lot more shots, being a more desperate team, and definitely our goalies have been keeping us going, too.
“We fought hard, being a threein-three, we came out strong for our third game (Sunday), for sure. We had a lot of energy on the bench, and that definitely helped us.”
The third Hitmen goal Sunday, later in the second frame, was all James Malm as he gained the zone, carried it into position, lost the puck, regained it and found his way to the high slot for a wrist-shot that beat Warriors goalie Adam Evanoff short-side.
Just over one minute later, Hitmen defenceman Egor Zumula found the back of the net with a wrist shot through traffic to make it 4-0 home side.
Malm rounded out Calgary’s scoring into an empty net.
At the other end, Hitmen goaltender Jack McNaughton got the victory by being sharp and getting a touch of help.
Warriors defenceman Josh Brook had a goal disallowed, with a teammate in the crease, and centreman Justin Almeida clanked a breakaway shot off the crossbar.
Up 2-0 in the second, the Hitmen survived two more breakaways, as Tristin Langan lost the handle on a short-handed freebie and McNaughton got his stick in on Brook’s attempt to make a move.
“After that, everything managed to hit me and the defence did a great job of deflecting pucks and keeping them wide,” McNaughton said.
The Warriors (15-6-3-1) scored in the third while on a two-man power play with Almeida firing a wrist-shot.
It all amounted to a 2-for-3 weekend, as the Hitmen rallied from Friday ’s 5-2 loss in Red Deer.
Calgary sits two points out of the final wild card spot in the WHL’s Eastern Conference, with two weekend games on the horizon, Friday against the Broncos (7 p.m.), and Sunday’s Teddy Bear Toss contest against the Kamloops Blazers (2 p.m.).