Today’s Gameday Preview: Wednesday March 6th, 2019

DUBNetwork Feature game of the night: Hitmen @ Tigers 7 PM MST

The Calgary Hitmen take their skates to the Canalta Centre in Medicine Hat to take on the Tigers for the feature game of the night. These teams meet tonight for the sixth time this season, Calgary comes in dominating the season series by a 4-1 mark already, with big points on the line tonight.

Egor Zamula, Calgary Hitmen.

The Calgary Hitmen (35-22-5-1) are coming into tonight on a tear, a nice little streak that has reached the five game mark as they look to make it six. The Hitmen are hungry for points as they are mid ride into this last couple games before the playoffs.  With five games left in the regular season, the Hitmen can still claim the Central, and can easily move out of third place in the division. Most of their movement garnering a major collapse would be up in the standings if they can hold out in the winning column, This five game winning streak might be one of the easier stretches for this team though as they faced the basement dwellers of the league in four of five of those games.

Ryan Chyzowski (Photo: Portland Winterhawks/Keith Dwiggins)

The Medicine Hat Tigers (32-25-3-2) come into tonight after winning their last game but not after an incredibly unfortunate stretch that almost eliminated them from the playoffs. With losing four games in their last five, the Tigers have put themselves in quite the spot, sitting first in the Wild Card spot but hovering dangerously close to being on the outside in playoff contention. The Tigers have to pull it together here in the end, or else they might be a victim in the upset that is called playoffs. Just two wins in their last ten games, this is the last thing Tigers fans wanted to see before the new season starts. The losses have not been pretty either, with two losses in their last five being by 5-0 scores, the Tigers haven’t been just losing, they’ve been run out of the building.

Expected goalies:

  • Carl Stankowski (CGY) 3.756 GAA, .880 SV%- The stats don’t look pretty but he has been the winner of three of his last four starts.
  • Jordan Hollett (MH) 3.513 GAA, .895 SV%- Has not won a game since January 19th, 2019.

Other games of note:

Brandon Wheat Kings (30-24-4-4) @ Lethbridge Hurricanes (35-18-5-5)

  • Lethbridge sits 2nd in the Central Division, as Brandon sits tied for the 2nd Wild Card spot trying to find a way into the playoffs as it comes down to the wire after winning 7-0 last night (LINK).

Vancouver Giants (44-14-2-2) @ Kamloops Blazers (23-31-5-2)

  • Although the Blazers aren’t mathematically out of the playoffs, it’s sure getting close as they look to close in with Kelowna for third in the division.
  • Vancouver is fighting their own battle as they look to claim first place in the Western Conference, with two points tonight they would tie Everett for first.

Victoria Royals (33-25-2-2) @ Tri-City Americans (33-25-3-1)

  • The Americans are trying to get back on track after dropping five games in a row, tonight they face Victoria for the fourth time this season.