WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings Game Notes

Published on January 28, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


BRANDON GAME NOTES: The WHEAT KINGS hope to rebound from Tuesdays disappointing effort in MOOSE JAW Wednesday night in REGINA when they play game two of a 4-game in five night Western Hockey League road trip.BRANDON opened up the trip last night with a 5-1 loss to the MOOSE JAW WARRIORS, who ran their winning streak to five games and moved into a first place tie with PRINCE ALBERT in the Eastern Division.It was the second loss in five days to the surging WARRIORS, who dumped the WHEATIES 5-2 at the Keystone Centre last Friday night.MARK SHEFCHYK had the lone goal for the WHEAT KINGS, who were outshot 35-34.Last night's loss came on the heels of Saturday's dramatic 3-2 overtime victory over the CALGARY HITMEN.RYAN STONE'S goal with less than a minute remaining in the extra session lifted BRANDON to the win.The victory snapped a 4-game (0-3-1) winless streak.The WHEAT KINGS enter tonight's game sitting six games below the .500 mark with an 18-24-6-3 record.They're currently seven points ahead of the fourth place PATS and four behind the seventh place LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES in the Conference.Before the club's recent winless streak, BRANDON had gone ten games (7-0-2-1) with at least a point.BRANDON is 12-11-3-1 at home and 6-13-3-2 on the road, with four of those road wins coming since Christmas.BRANDON travels to SWIFT CURRENT on Friday night before closing out this trip on Saturday in MEDICINE HAT.

INJURY UPDATE: JEFF TOPILKO (knee) returned to the lineup Friday night after missing five weeks of action.However, veteran defenceman OLE-KRISTIAN TOLLEFSEN sustained a bruised sternum in SASKATOON on Tuesday and will miss at least the next two weeks. Another defenceman - newly acquired STEVEN LATER suffered a shoulder injury Friday night and is out indefinitely.RICHARD JASOVSKY, DEREK LEBLANC and LANCE MONYCH are also out nursing shoulder injuries but should return this week.

THE CAPTAIN RETURNS: 19-year old TIM KONSORADA returned to the BRANDON lineup last week after undergoing shoulder surgery in September and missing the first four months of the regular season.KONSORADA made his "home" debut, wearing the "C" Friday night.A former first round bantam draft choice, T.K. finished third in club scoring last season with 22 goals and 70 points in 72 games.T.K. is 0-3-3 in four games this season, moving him to within six points of 150 in his WHL career.

WHOSE HOT? RYAN STONE had his career high 10-game point scoring streak snapped last night in MOOSE JAW. During that stretch, the the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS' second round draft choice was 4-12-16.Former KAMLOOPS BLAZER ERIK CHRISTENSEN has a point in nine of 13 games since arriving in BRANDON. During that stretch, he is 8-8-16.WASHINGTON CAPITALS' first round draft choice ERIC FEHR has cracked the league's top ten (32-28-60). His 32 goals are fourth in the league; his 15 powerplay are fourth while his four shorthanded tallies are also fourth in the WHL.

MILESTONES: 16-year old rookie defenceman MARK LOUIS picked up his first ever WHL poing Friday night, assisting on ERIC FEHR'S second period goal against the WARRIORS.Former BLADE defenceman STEVEN LATER picked up his first point - an assist - as a WHEAT KING last week in SASKATOON.JOSH HARDING is 76 minutes shy of 8,000 in his WHL career. With his 25 saves Friday night, the former PAT goalkeeper eclipsed the 1,000 save mark for the season.BRANDON'S top three scorers - ERIC FEHR (32), TYLER DYCK (26) and LANCE MONYCH (24) - have career highs in goals this season.LANCE MONYCH is seven games away from 250.

STATISTICAL ODDS 'N ENDS: Former MIDGET AAA WHEAT KING scoring star MARK DERLAGO leads BRANDON'S rookie scoring (7-13-20) .BRANDON is 16-8-2 when opening the scoring but when the opposition opens the scoring, the WHEATS are 1-15-3-3.WHEATS are 2-3-6 in overtime games this year.Defencemen JON WEBB leads BRANDON with 132 penalty minutes.Overage center TYLER DYCK has moved to within two goals of the league lead in powerplay goals (16). PRINCE ALBERT'S SETH LEONARD leads with eighteen.Entering tonight's game, the WHEAT KINGS powerplay is third in the league (23%) behind only PRINCE ALBERT and MEDICINE HAT, despite going 0-8 last night against the WARRIORS.

DRAFTED PLAYERS: ERIC FEHR (Washington, 2003), RYAN STONE (Pittsburgh, 2003), LANCE MONYCH (Phoenix, 2002), TIM KONSORADA (Columbus, 2002), ERIK CHRISTENSEN (Pittsburgh, 2002), TYLER BOLDT (Atlanta, 2002), JOSH HARDING (Minnesota, 2002) and OLE-KRISTIAN TOLLEFSEN (Columbus, 2002).

DID YOU KNOW? JOSH HARDING'S shutout two weeks ago in his "home" debut against SASKATOON made him only the third BRANDON goalie in league history to record a shutout in their debut at the Keystone. The only others were JAMIE HODSON (1997) and CHRIS OSGOOD (1991).TYLER DYCK captured the second segment in the MOLSON CUP 3 STAR PROGRAM.WHITE TEAM captured six of the seven events Sunday to win the 2nd ANNUAL SKILLS DAY. Individual winners included REAGAN LESLIE (Rapid Fire), TIM KONSORADA (Accuracy), MARK LOUIS (Breakaway Shootout), ERIC FEHR (Hardest Shot) and JEFF TOPILKO (Fastest Skater).$1,470 was raised for the BRANDON YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION during the 5th Annual RBC TOONIE TOSS at Friday's game vs. MOOSE JAW.Former SEATTLE THUNDERBIRS' general manager and the current play-by-play voice of the NHL's TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS will headline this year's SPORTSMAN'S DINNER to be held on Saturday, February 7th. Joining DENNIS BEYAK will be former NHL coach and general manager MARSHALL JOHNSTON, TSN football analyst GLEN SUITOR and comedian DEREK EDWARDS.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2004


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