If the Calgary Hitmen are going to move up in the standings, they need to go on a run.
A three-game winning streak isn’t a bad way to get that started.
On Sunday afternoon, the Hitmen (25-15-5) thoroughly outplayed the Red Deer Rebels (15-25-5) for the second time in as many days, riding a hot second period en route to a 5-2 win at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Hitmen still face a tough uphill climb if they’re going to catch the Medicine Hat Tigers and move out of a wildcard spot and into third place in the WHL’s Central Division, but they’re giving themselves a chance.
Maybe most importantly, they’ve allowed only two goals a game during this three-game stretch of wins. That’s something Hitmen coach Steve Hamilton says is imperative to his team’s chances going forward.
“We’re not what I would consider a high-octane offence,” Hamilton said. “We have to work for our offence and we have to work for our goals and we’ve talked about three being the real magic number. On average, we score slightly more than three and give up right around three.
“It’s super important that our team defence needs to continue to improve and (we get) timely offence and good goaltending. I thought we got a little bit of everything this weekend.”
It would be easy for the Hitmen to look at the standings and see themselves in no man’s land. There’s no way they’re falling out of a playoff position – the Rebels would have to overtake them, and they’re 20 points back – but they’re also seven points behind the Tigers for third place in the Central Division.
The Hitmen do have a game in hand on the Tigers, but they’re still going to need to get hot, and stay hot, if they’re going to catch them.
As it stands, though, the most likely first-round playoff opponent for the Hitmen is the Winnipeg Ice, who they’ll be welcoming to the Saddledome this coming Wednesday in the second of a five-game homestand.
“If you look at the scenario, if it was to play out today, the next two teams we play could be first-round opponents,” Hamilton said. “It’s a very, very meaningful homestand here and lots of quality opponents coming through, so we’ll transition to practice for a couple days here and then back at it Wednesday.”
Sunday’s win offered some real reasons to feel encouraged about the Hitmen as they enter their stretch run, and it wasn’t just the scoreline.
It was also that the Hitmen got goals from five different players, including the first of the season from defenceman Dakota Krebbs early in the second period.
Both teams had looked flat in the opening 20 minutes, but Krebbs’ sweet snipe just 1:02 into the second seemed to open the floodgates.
Riley Stotts scored his 22nd of the season for the Hitmen just three and a half minutes later. After Zak Smith got one back for the Rebels, Riley Fiddler-Schultz restored the Hitmen’s two goal lead just 6:34 into the second period.
Orca Wiesblatt and Josh Prokop added two more in the third, and the Hitmen were largely able to go on cruise control until the final buzzer.
With three straight wins under their belt, the Hitmen have the chance to make some real noise on the remaining three games in their homestand.
“Once we start playing well, I think we kind of get in a groove,” Stotts said. “That’s one thing we’re trying to work on, being consistent, so (these three wins) have been huge for us and we need to keep doing that.”
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