The Calgary Hitmen and Regina Pats will make history with the first major junior outdoor game on Canadian soil on Monday.
A national TV audience will get to take in the Western Hockey League's matinee in High Definition on Rogers Sportsnet.
Watch the game at 3 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. MT / noon PT on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific.
This game, of course, follows the successful game on Sunday between the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens at McMahon Stadium.
Both the Hitmen and Pats are on the outside looking in for a playoff spot in the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference. Two points will be crucial for both teams, who trail the eighth-seeded Prince Albert Raiders. The Pats trail the Raiders by seven points while the Hitmen are 13 points back.
This will be the second outdoor game in major junior history. The first was held earlier this season on Jan. 15 at Avista Stadium in Spokane, Wash. The Spokane Chiefs clobbered the visiting Kootenay Ice 11-2 in that game.
Can both teams reel in the excitement?
One of the most noteworthy aspects of junior hockey is the unbridled enthusiasm and excitement found in each player. These aren't the highly-paid professionals who are playing to keep their jobs, but teenagers looking to fulfill a dream and earn their way to the next level. But for once, they will have the same attention and atmosphere as those pros they aspire to become when they play on such a big stage.
The size of the stadium and participation from the fans may not be a big change for the Hitmen, who play at the Saddledome and have played in front of big crowds. The Pats, meanwhile, play in the much smaller Brandt Centre. A crowd exceeding 20,000 fans, however, will be a new experience for all these players. It won't be easy for the players to stay focused in spite of the hype of the event.
Can the Hitmen offence awaken?
It's hard to imagine a Calgary Hitmen team whose offence is not its strong point. Junior graduation following a league championship left the Hitmen with so few natural scorers on this year's team. Calgary has scored the league's fewest goals this season at 148, an average of 2.5 per game.
The team's top point producer is overager, and Calgary native, Kris Foucault. The third-year Hitmen forward is on pace for his most productive season offensively with 40 points in 53 games. Calgary may need to look to veterans such as Foucault to get the offence going in this game.
Will the Pats play a solid defensive game?
Similarly to how the Hitmen aren't known for offence, the Pats aren't making headlines for defence. Regina's 255 goals allowed is by far the most of any team in the WHL this season. Goaltenders Damien Ketlo and Matt Hewitt can't shoulder all of the blame, but haven't exactly been the solution, either. The Pats have not experienced a lot of success with the men between the pipes in recent years and that trend continued this season. Fortunately, the opposition doesn't present the biggest threat on offence.
Will both teams have short memories?
The two teams met on Friday in Regina in a game that was decided in a shootout. The Hitmen walked away with the additional point after Brooks Macek and Jimmy Bubnick lit the lamp in the shootout. The two teams had a shooting spree with nearly 40 shots each in that game, but neither team scored more than once through regulation and overtime. The win essentially kept Calgary's faint playoff hopes alive while the Pats were still able to accumulate a point in the process.
This will be the fourth and final meeting between the two teams this season. All three previous games were decided in a shootout, with Calgary winning twice and Regina once. Although they're not division rivals, the familiarity with two games in four days should give each other an indication of what they're going up against.
Will the players open it up in a shinny atmosphere?
The temptation will be there for the players to revert back to their wide-open, shinny playing days in an outdoor game. Since many of the players have fond memories of playing on ponds and outdoor rinks throughout their recent youth, it may be natural for them to try some maneuvers that would be entertaining for fans, but not enjoyed by their coaches. By all accounts, the players remain focused on the two points and the race for a playoff spot. Regina head coach Curtis Hunt and Calgary's bench boss, Mike Williamson, are both excellent coach's and won't likely let the players slip from the systems for long.
