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WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Americans Spoil Brandon's Annual Remembrance Day Game

November 11, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Brandon, MB. - A disappointing loss for the Brandon Wheat Kings Sunday afternoon as they played host to their annual Remembrance Day game.

Connor Bouchard's overtime shootout goal was the difference as the visiting Tri-City Americans edged the Wheat Kings 3-2 before close to 4,300 disappointed fans at Westoba Place.

Bouchard was one of two Americans and three skaters overall to hit the net in the shootout as both goalkeepers - Tri-City's Beck Warm and Jiri Patera of the Wheat Kings - were excellent. The two combined to stop eleven of 14 shots. Isaac Johnson had the other shootout goal for the winners while 17-year old Ben McCartney was the only Brandon shooter to score.

With the loss, the Wheat Kings slipped to 9-4-3-3 on the season while the Americans won for the seventh time in their last eight games and improved to 11-5-0 overall.

After a slow start in this one, it was the Wheat Kings who got on the board first as captain Stelio Mattheos struck for his team leading 18th goal of the season with just over a minute remaining in period one.

In the second, Tri City's Riley Sawchuk and Blake Stevenson scored back to back goals as the Americans grabbed their first lead of the afternoon.

Brandon's Luka Burzan evened the score with a powerplay goal three minutes into the third.

The Americans did come close to winning in regulation as they missed on two late breakaways, setting the stage for overtime, dominated by the visitors.

Outshot 5-1 in 3 on 3 play, the Wheat Kings had three chances to win in the shootout as Patera came up with big stops on Parker AuCoin, Sasha Matula and Stevenson but Brandon shooters Linden McCorrister, Connor Gutenberg and Lynden McCallum failed to score what would have been the deciding goal.

Instead, it was Bouchard - the seventh Tri-City shooter - that finally beat Patera and Brandon's Caiden Daley failed in his bid to extend the shootout to a season high eighth round.

In a game that features a number of missed calls and questionable penalties, Brandon went 1 for 2 with the man advantage while the Americans were 0 for 2.

Shots on goal were even at 24 each.

Sunday's game featured a pre-game Remembrance Day ceremony, the national anthems were performed by the Canadian Military Wives Choir and Koch Fertilizer presented Minor Hockey Day.

Over 400 minor hockey players, coaches and families attended the Remembrance Day game, which has been a staple on the Wheat Kings' hockey schedule since Brian Propp, Brad McCrimmon and Bill Derlago were exciting western Manitoba hockey fans in the late seventies.

The Wheat Kings will now be off until next weekend when they host Medicine Hat and the league leading Prince Albert Raiders on Friday and Saturday nights, presented by MNP and Wawanesa Insurance. Fans in attendance will receive a 2018-19 Team Poster on Friday and special edition WHL rally towels on Saturday.

Tickets to both games will go back on sale at 10am Tuesday at the Keystone Centre box office. Fans can also order online at keystonecentre.com or by calling (204) 726-3555.

In the meantime, several members of the Wheat Kings will be turning in their sticks and skates and serving tables Tuesday night as Applebee's hosts its annual Tip a Wheat King Night from 4:30 to 8:30pm, in support of the Western Manitoba Cancer Centre.

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