The Calgary Hitmen are moving on.
The Scotiabank Saddledome faithful have plenty to cheer about after their squad swept the Brandon Wheat Kings in four straight games to advance to the second round of the 2026 Western Hockey League playoffs, capping the series with a dramatic comeback victory in Game 4 on Thursday in Virden, Man.
The hero of the series — and really, there is no other word for it — was Hitmen veteran Ethan Moore. The Okotoks product scored the game-winning goal in every single one of Calgary's four victories, cementing his status as the defining force of the Eastern Conference semifinal. Moore struck 11:48 into the third period of Game 4 to seal the sweep and send the Hitmen through.
Comeback Kids
Thursday's clincher was anything but easy. The Hitmen found themselves in an early hole, falling behind 2-0 in the first period before digging deep and flipping the script entirely.
Calgary's response was methodical and powerful — four unanswered goals, including three in the final frame. Kale Dach provided the spark in the second period to cut the deficit, before Harrison Lodewyk, Moore, and Julien Maze each found the back of the net over the final 11 minutes of the third period to complete the comeback and close out the series.
Between the pipes, goaltender Eric Tu was steady when it mattered most, turning aside 28 shots to earn the victory and help preserve Calgary's momentum heading into the next round.
Moore the Merciless
Moore's performance across the series was the kind that becomes playoff legend. Scoring the decisive goal in four consecutive wins — including in a must-win comeback scenario — puts the Okotoks native in elite company in recent WHL postseason memory. His clutch play will be closely watched as the Hitmen prepare for their second-round opponent.
Calgary now awaits the result of the other Eastern Conference series to determine their next challenge, but after this showing, the Hitmen will be considered a serious contender.
Source: Calgary Herald. Original reporting by Todd Saelhof. Additional context added by WestNet News.