The Calgary Hitmen closed the book on their season series with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Prince Albert Raiders Saturday night at the Art Hauser Centre.
Mark Kastelic broke the 20-goal barrier at the 9:02 mark of the third period on the power play when he took a pass from Tristen Nielsen and Riley Stotts, before jamming one past Ian Scott in net. His 20th tally of the season tied the game and forced the extra frame.
His 19th opened the scoring in the first period when he slammed home a pass from a pair of 20-year-olds in Conner Chaulk and Jakob Stukel.
Kastelic’s previous career-high was 13 goals, which he scored in 67 games last season. Tonight was his 67th game this season.
When the Estevan, Sask. product Brayden Pachal netted his seventh of the season with 57 seconds remaining in overtime from the former Hitmen draft pick Jordy Stallard, the Hitmen saw their overtime record this season fall to 5-9. They have played in overtime in five of their last seven games.
Stallard, meanwhile, popped in his 43rd of the season as he continues his explosive 20-year-old campaign in the first period from Curtis Miske and Cole Fonstad.
When Carson Focht scored early in the second period from Nielsen and Cael Zimmerman, it eclipsed his goal total from earlier this season with Tri-City. One of the newest Hitmen (21-36-9-2) members now has seven in 28 games with the Calgary club, as opposed to six in 37 games with the Americans.
The Raiders (32-25-9-2) struck with a pair to open the third, as Vojtech Budik sniped his 14th on the power play, followed by Miske bagging his 26th less than a minute later.
Between the pipes, Scott stopped 20-of-23 shots for his 23rd win, while Hitmen backup Matthew Armitage set a career-high 40 saves in the loss.
The Hitmen will make their way back to the Scotiabank Saddledome for their second-last home game of the season March 14, but will make a stop in Medicine Hat along the way, when they take on the Tigers (35-26-8-0)March 13.
