On to the next: Rankin gets hat trick as Hitmen crush the Ice in game 7

CALGARY – Hitmen forward Connor Rankin showed that a player can take fate into their own hands.

Game 7 between the Calgary Hitmen and Kootenay Ice could have been the final game of his major-junior career. But he just wasn’t quite finished yet.

Rankin lit it up three times in 20 minutes of play. He gave the Hitmen an early 3-0 lead at the end of the first period, earning himself a hat trick and the game winner in the 6-2 victory over Kootenay.

“It’s surprising, being in game 7 and getting a hat trick, it’s overwhelming really. But it’s hard to take credit for all that when you have the teammates that you do and them doing a lot of the hard work. They deserve a lot of credit for these goals,” Rankin said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's surprising, being in game 7 and getting a hat trick, it's overwhelming really. But it's hard to take credit for all that when you have the teammates that you do and them doing a lot of the hard work. They deserve a lot of credit for these goals," Rankin said.

The Hitmen played the Ice nine games in a row, but it was never predictable.

After blowing a 3-1 series lead, the Calgary Hitmen made no mistake with their one final chance to knock off the Kootenay Ice Monday night and book their ticket to the second round of playoffs against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Hitmen head coach Mark French wasn’t surprised that Rankin dominated, he says the forward is known to be quite fluky.

“Connor’s such a streaky scorer, I’ve heard the story before. He struggled out of the gates a little bit this season and as a coach you’re trying to talk to him and stay positive. And he’ll say ‘coach I don’t know what it is, when I get hot I get hot,” French says.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Connor's such a streaky scorer, I've heard the story before. He struggled out of the gates a little bit this season and as a coach you're trying to talk to him and stay positive. And he'll say 'coach I don't know what it is, when I get hot I get hot," French says.

Prior to Rankin’s first period hat trick Monday night, only one other player in Hitmen franchise history has netted three goals in one period in the playoffs. Robin Gomez scored three goals in the third period in the 2001.

Calgary out-shot the Ice 35-13 with Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau producing the only Kootenay goals.

It was an especially tough pill to swallow for Kootenay Ice Captain Sam Reinhart who’s a prospect for the Buffalo Sabres and played several years as an Ice.

The 19-year-old isn’t quite sure what will happen next but says he’s definitely ready to make the jump to the next chapter.

“‘I will do everything I can over the summer and we’ll see what happens,” Reinhart said.

He may have played his last junior game, a possibility that’s been on his mind.

“It has, it’s something to work for to make sure that happens, you obviously want to move on,” Rein hart said. “It’s going to be the first time a Reinhart hasn’t played for the Ice in a while.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It has, it's something to work for to make sure that happens, you obviously want to move on," Rein hart said. "It's going to be the first time a Reinhart hasn't played for the Ice in a while."

The Hitmen return to action Friday night in Medicine Hat to get the second round started.

This is the 12 time in franchise history that the Hitmen past the opening round.

HITMEN VS. TIGERS PLAYOFF GAME SCHEDULE

Friday, April 10
GAME 1 at Medicine Hat Tigers, 7:00 p.m., The Arena

Sunday, April 12
GAME 2 vs. Medicine Hat Tigers, 4:00 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome

Monday, April 13
GAME 3 vs. Medicine Hat Tigers, 7:00 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome