Support the Hitmen!!!

[JerzeeGirl]

Ok - we're all being roundly disappointed by the guys wearing the Flaming C the last few days but under our noses is a team the deserves some more fan support than it's been getting.

The Hitmen have finally made it out of the 2nd round of the WHL playoffs, finishing off the Wheaties on Sunday with a convincing 4-2 series win after going down 0-2 to start the series. The crowds have been less than spectacular for the home games tho - perhaps because the city has been distracted by the end of the NHL season and start of their playoffs.

Either way, the Hitmen who were underdogs to make it out of the 1st round are now on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals and deserve to have a home ice advantage when their games happen here in Calgary.

They will be playing the hated Medicine Hat Tigers who finished 1st overall in the East and you know that the Tiger fans will be coming up by the busload to try and overwhelm the Hitmen fans at the Dome.

This cannot be allowed!!!

So come on out and watch some excellent Jr Hockey - this team has no individual superstars like they did in the past (in Getzlaf, Ladd & Pogge) just some solid, hard working young guys playing for each other and the crest on the front of the jersey!

Come on out folks and support the Hitmen - let's see how far they can go!

[OILFAN #81]

Matt Keetley is in goal for the Tigers right?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Matt Keetley is in goal for the Tigers right?

Yes he is.

[Superflyer]

Thats right everyone, the Hitmen are a great team and deserve our respect and chears. They have had 2 great series against the ice (which on its own was an amazing series) and the wheatkings. They fought hard and played with their hearts on their sleaves.
The schedule has not been released for the next series but go out and chear for them when you can. They are a great bunch of guys and are having a run like the Flames back when they cared in the playoffs. They were the underdogs in both series and the upcoming one. If we win this and Vancouver wins theirs (which they should) we are in the Memorial Cup.

[JerzeeGirl]

Just bumping the thread to keep it close to the top....

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Matt Keetley is in goal for the Tigers right?

Too bad it isn't like the old days where an NHL team owned the rights to the junior team they sponsored. All the Hitmen would be Flames property and Keetley would be playing for Calgary.

[Resolute 14]

Actually, if that was the case, Irving would be playing in Calgary, with Keetley as his backup... scary.

[Dion]

The Hitmen remind me of the 04 Flames. A team of destiny that has no fears of losing.

[DMac]

GO HITMEN!

Any word on if this series will be shown on Shaw, like round 1?

[Rathji]

Shaw normally does show Hitmen games on channel 10, occasionally it gets bumped for Roughnecks or other conflicting stuff that they got rights to before the WHL playoffs.

[Resolute 14]

Shaw will likely announce what series they show following the Everett-PG series. If Prince George beats Everett, I would personally expect that Shaw would return East, as Vancouver would be more likely to make the final.

[604flames]

whl.ca has posted the schedule for Round 3 as follows:

Game 1: Friday @ MHT, 7:30 pm
Game 2: Saturday @ MHT, 7:30 pm
Game 3: Monday, April 21 @ CGY, 7 pm
Game 4: Wednesday, April 23 @ CGY, 7 pm
Game 5: Friday, April 27 @ MHT, 7:30 pm
Game 6: Saturday, April 28 @ CGY, 7:00 pm
Game 7: Tuesday, May 1 @ MHT, 7:00 pm

As Snakeeye said, no word yet on whether Shaw will be broadcasting the series.. We could find out as early as tomorrow.

[604flames]

Also, haven't seen it posted but congrats to Derek LeBlanc for being named WHL Player of the Week

[Resolute 14]

If the Flames are done, and the Hitmen are in position to win the series, that game six on Saturday could well be a full sellout, which would be a league record.

[604flames]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

If the Flames are done, and the Hitmen are in position to win the series, that game six on Saturday could well be a full sellout, which would be a league record.

WHL record, single game regular season or playoff, is 19,103, set at the Rose Garden in Portland on Mar. 15, 1997.

Hitmen record is 18,279 vs. Red Deer, March 11, 2005.

[Resolute 14]

Hitmen Record is actually 19,017, set in the second to last game this year. Shame we couldnt get just 100 more for that one.

[604flames]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Hitmen Record is actually 19,017, set in the second to last game this year. Shame we couldnt get just 100 more for that one.

Oh ok I was just going by what they had posted on whl.ca.. Guess they haven't updated their record category yet, my bad.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Go Eagles Go!!!!



errrr

I mean Go Hitmen!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Hitmen Record is actually 19,017, set in the second to last game this year. Shame we couldnt get just 100 more for that one.

We could beat that, especialy since we're playing the Tigers this round.

Was suprised at the low attendance numbers for the series against the Wheaties.

[BumbleBee]

No doubt about it that that the Hitmen will be getting my full support. This team wants to win so badly, it really is reminiscent of the 04 Flames. The players that are leaving at the end of the season have said over and over again how much they want to keep moving on, and how going home early was the very last thing on anyone's mind, unlike past seasons. These guys have an unbelieveable drive in them that puts a huge smile on my face. I absolutely can't wait for the this Medicine Hat series.

Hopefully the Dome will fill up far more than it has the last two series. On Sunday, when they closed out the series against the Wheat Kings, the lower bowl was pretty much full, but you could see up in the upper bowl these huge empty seats. I know Calgary hockey fans can do so much better than that when there's a team on the ice with a passion to win, and nothing to lose.

Let's set some WHL attendance records!
GO HITMEN GO!