Hitmen ready to renew rivalry with Oil Kings
The Calgary Hitmen are set to resume their feud with the Edmonton Oil Kings this weekend and timing couldn’t be better.
For one, it’s their rivals’ sixth annual Teddy Bear Toss Friday at Rexall Place — a game which, traditionally, hasn’t been well-attended (especially in the team’s lean early years) and has only collected 15,764 bears for charity in the past five seasons. By comparison, the Hitmen have donated more than 213,000 bears since 1999, which included last Sunday’s tally of 21,534 bears from 16,912 fans.
There’s also the fact that Calgary (19-6-1-2) and Edmonton (18-6-2-3) are in a dogfight for places atop the Central Division; the Eastern Conference, too, if the Prince Albert Raiders (20-9-0-2) lose Friday in Kootenay(both Edmonton and Calgary have 41 points while Prince Albert has 42). Not to mention, Calgary has won all four meetings this season — 4-1 at Edmonton on Sept. 28, 6-5 in overtime at Calgary on Oct. 7, and 5-4 in a shootout at Edmonton on Oct. 12.
And, if that wasn’t enough, players took their chirps to Twitter earlier this week after the Hitmen Holiday Surprise Christmas video — a good-natured team lip sync of Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree — went viral. Of course, the Oil Kings had produced something similar last Christmas, except with the song All I Want For Christmas Is You, and took the opportunity to remind the Hitmen of the production via Twitter.
“In case the battle of Alberta wasn’t heated enough, I’m sure copying the @EdmOilKings Christmas video will spice things up!” Tweeted Oil Kings winger Mitch Moroz.
“Pretty bold statements being tossed around,” Hitmen forward Zane Jones Tweeted a few moments later. Teammate Greg Chase replied: “some guys get cranky when they haven’t beat you all year.” Yes, the fur will be flying. “I guess that kind of shows what kind of rival teams we are,” said Hitmen captain Cody Sylvester. “Maybe some things shouldn’t have been said what were said. But they were. I guess both teams should be ready to go.”
Although the Twitter exchange wasn’t exactly offensive or offside, head coach Mike Williamson was not amused and said he’d rather his players do their talking through their play not talk through “Facebook, Twitter, or the media.”
Chase understands both teams will be ready to back up their words where it matters tonight.
“I think we just need to leave it on the ice,” Chase said. “There’s obviously media scrutiny and stuff like that. I don’t think the Twitter thing is going to play into the game at all. Our teams are rivalled enough, I don’t think we need any more fuel to the fire.”
Speaking of which, Calgary is red-hot with wins in 11 of their past 13 games including 4-1 and 6-1 decisions over Kootenay on Sunday and Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the respectable Oil Kings — the 2012 WHL champions — lost 6-2 Wednesday at Lethbridge but are 7-1-1-1 in their past 10.
“We’re probably the two best teams in our division at the moment and we’re battling for first spot in our division,” Chase said. “Our games are going to get chippy and tough, but we just have to make sure we play disciplined and smarter than them.”
After Friday’s clash, they’ll turn around and head down the QEII for action at the Scotiabank Saddledome (7 p.m., Saturday; Sportsnet 960 The Fan).
Then, the two will give each other warm yuletide greetings over egg nog back in Calgary on Dec. 18 (7 p.m.) — both teams’ last game before the Christmas break and last clash of the season.