Rd. 1-Game 1-Oil Kings 0 at Hitmen 5

[Hitmen1]

Its the first game of the playoffs tonight down at the Dome. The Oil Kings are playing in their first playoff game in franchise history while the Hitmen have made the playoffs for 12 straight years. The Hitmen players have decided to go with black mohawks so they are asking that all fans wear black to the game. The game is on the radio tonight if you cannot make it down.

GO HITMEN GO!

[EOK1]

I'm currently in the passenger seat with my lap top on my way to Calgary for the beat down..lol

Should be an intense atmosphere regardless, and hopefully we can carry the momentum from Tuesday into tonight.

Good luck Hitmen and their fans.

[DunnerStunner]

Im thinking the Hitmen will prevail in game 1, 5-2. Broda notching a pair.

Go Hitmen Go

[Hitmen1]

Well it took over a period for the Hitmen to get their feet moving and to really get involved in this game. The game was really lost in the first period for the Oil Kings who had the first 3 power plays but came away empty handed. More details to follow. Hitmen lead the series 1-0.

[hitmanfan]

Im thinking the Hitmen will prevail in game 1, 5-2. Broda notching a pair.

Go Hitmen Go
Pretty close!

[dagley]

This series will be quick and painless to Calgary

[Hitmen1]

It wasn't pretty for about 25 minutes but the Hitmen survived 5 of the first 6 penalties called in the game and ended up taking complete control to knock off the Oil Kings 5-0 last night in front of 10,135 fans.

The parade to the penalty box started just 3 seconds into the game when Kris Foucault took a minor right off the opening face off for holding the stick. But the Hitmen killed that penalty off and 2 more in the first period before getting a shortened power play of their own. With just 4 seconds left in their first power play, Brett Sonne fed Ian Schultz who fired shot past Jung to make it 1-0 Hitmen after 1.

In the second, the Hitmen were forced to kill another early Oil King power play when Keith Seabrook was sent off for slashing. Two minutes later the Hitmen had successfully killed off their 4 penalty of the game. Kris Foucault extended the Hitmen lead to 2-0 but just seconds later the Hitmen were shorthanded for the 5th time in the game. But once again, the penalty killers come through and shortly after the Hitmen score 2 more goals, one by Broda and the other by Kozun, in the period, just 2:02 apart, to go up 4-0.

In the third period, each team took 4 minors, and one ended up hurting the Oil Kings, as Joel Broda, the WHL's leading goal scorer in the regular season, scored his second of the game with less than 5 minutes remaining.

Special teams were a huge factor for the Hitmen's success in the regular season and tonight was no different. The Hitmen were a perfect 8/8 on the penalty kill, while going 2/6 on the power play. If the Oil Kings score on one or two of those first couple of power plays back in the first period, and this might have been a completely different game.

Boxscore:

First period
1. Calgary, Schultz 1 (Sonne, Postma) 16:35 (pp)

Penalties - Foucault Cal (holding the stick) 0:03, Madaisky Cal (tripping) 9:23, Sonne Cal (boarding) 13:36, Foster Edm (holding the stick) 14:39.


Second period
2. Calgary, Foucault 1 (Bortis, Bonsor) 8:19

3. Calgary, Broda 1 11:41

4. Calgary, Kozun 1 (Golicic, Broda) 13:43

Penalties - Seabrook Cal (slashing) 1:24, McMillan Cal (hooking) 8:52, Soudek Edm (interference), Nichol Edm, Schultz Cal (fighting) 16:23.


Third period
5. Calgary, Broda 2 (Seabrook, Plante) 15:43 (pp)

Penalties - Sonne Cal (roughing) 5:39, Lee Edm (roughing, checking from behind), Seabrook (roughing) 10:44, Stone Cal (tripping) 11:20, Neigum Edm (holding the stick) 13:57, Friesen Edm (delay of game) 16:50, Raedeke Edm (cross-checking) 16:58, Broda Cal (interference) 17:13.


Shots on goal by:
Edmonton 7 / 8 / 6 - 21
Calgary 6 / 16 / 15 - 37

Goal - Edmonton: Jung (L, 0-1); Calgary: Jones (W, 1-0).
Powerplays (goals-chances): Edm: 0-8; Cal: 2-6.

Referee - Steve Papp, Pat Smith. Linesmen - Tyler Adair, Kelly Reitenbach.

Attendance: 10,135.

Next Up: Game 2 on Sunday afternoon, 2pm Calgary time.