WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings Game Notes

Published on February 5, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


BRANDON GAME NOTES: The WHEAT KINGS go for consecutive home win number three Friday night when they play host to the PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS, in what will be their final home game in two weeks.After going 1-3-0 during a recent 4-game western excursion, the WHEATS returned to the friendly confines of the Keystone Centre Wednesday night, scoring an impressive 6-2 victory over the MEDICINE HAT TIGERS.ERIC FEHR scored three goals to pace the winners with singles coming off the sticks of TYLER DYCK, JEFF TOPILKO and ERIK CHRISTENSEN.Rookie netminder MIKE NICHOL registered the win after replacing JOSH HARDING at the start of the third period. The former BRANDON AAA MIDGET star stopped six of 7 shots.BRANDON enters Friday's game with a record of 20-26-6-3.they're 13-11-3-1 at home and 7-15-3-2 on the road.The WHEAT KINGS, who embark on a grueling 5-game road trip to the northwestern United States this coming week, have opened up a six point lead on the fourth place REGINA PATS in the Eastern Division and have pulled to within two of the seventh place LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES in the Conference.Wednesday's victory was sweet revenge for the WHEAT KINGS, who opened up the home and home series with the TIGERS by dropping a 5-1 decision last Saturday in MEDICINE HAT.During the club's recent 4-game excursion, BRANDON was outscored 14-8. BRANDON is 3-6-0-1 in it's last ten games.BRANDON, 1-0-0 in February, is coming off a month of January that saw the WHEAT KINGS compile a 7-6-2-1 mark - a month that saw the WHEATS play sixteen games in 29 days.

POWERPLAY COMES ALIVE: After going 1-22 during it's recent 4-game road trip, the WHEAT KINGS' powerplay unit was clicking Wednesday night, connecting for four goals while skating with the man advantage.In all, BRANDON was 4-10 against the TIGERS on Wednesday night, while holding the high scoring opposition to 1-11.BRANDON'S powerplay is currently ranked third in the WHL, behind only MEDICINE HAT and PRINCE ALBERT.

WHOSE HOT? RYAN STONE, January's JACK FRASER PLAYER OF THE MONTH, had his career high 10-game point scoring streak snapped last week in MOOSE JAW. During that stretch, the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS' second round draft choice was 4-12-16. Stone has at least a point in 12 of his last thirteen games (4-15-19).Overage center TYLER DYCK led the WHEATS in scoring last month with 20 points in sixteen games while ERIC FEHR, ERIK CHRISTENSEN and STONE had eighteen each. FEHR'S 65 points (36-29-65) has propelled him back into the league's top ten in scoring.Netminder JOSH HARDING has stopped 93 of 96 shots in BRANDON'S last two victories. HARDING has played in 12 of 13 games since joining the WHEAT KINGS on January 7th.

INJURY UPDATE: Captain TIM KONSORADA (shoulder), JEFF TOPILKO (knee) and DEREK LEBLANC (shoulder) have all returned to the lineup in the past week.LANCE MONYCH rejoined the lineup Friday night, assisting on two goals but aggravated the shoulder on Saturday and is questionable for tonight's game.KONSORADA missed the first four months of the regular season after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. He's 2-4-6 in eight games since coming back.Veteran defenceman OLE-KRISTIAN TOLLEFSEN (bruised sternum), newly acquired STEVEN LATER (shoulder) and Slovakian RICHARD JASOVSKY (shoulder) remain on the sidelines.Netminder JOSH HARDING was forced to leave Wednesday's game after taking a hard blast off of his shoulder.

MILESTONES: JOSH HARDING recently surpassed the 8,000 minute mark in his WHL career .BRANDON'S top three scorers - ERIC FEHR (36), TYLER DYCK (27) and LANCE MONYCH (24) - have career highs in goals this season.LANCE MONYCH is five games away from 250 in his WHL career.DYCK will be playing career game number 275 Friday night..

STATISTICAL ODDS 'N ENDS: Former MIDGET AAA WHEAT KING scoring star MARK DERLAGO leads BRANDON'S rookie scoring (7-14-21) .BRANDON is 16-8-2 when opening the scoring.WHEATS are 2-3-6 in overtime games this year.Defencemen JON WEBB leads BRANDON with 154 penalty minutes.ERIC FEHR'S 36 goals is among the league leaders.TYLER DYCK'S 16 powerplay tallies is third in the league.

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? Veteran center RYAN STONE returned to the lineup Wednesday after serving a 2-game suspension for a knee-on-knee incident during last week's game in REGINA. Individual winners at this year's Annual Skills Day included REAGAN LESLIE (Rapid Fire), TIM KONSORADA (Accuracy), MARK LOUIS (Breakaway Shootout), ERIC FEHR (Hardest Shot) and JEFF TOPILKO (Fastest Skater).TSN football analyst GLEN SUITOR, MAPLE LEAFS' play-by-play announcer DENNIS BEYAK and former OTTAWA SENATORS' GM MARSHALL JOHNSTON headline this year's SPORTSMAN'S DINNER to be held this Saturday in the Keystone Centre. Both SUITOR and JOHNSTON will perform the ceremonial opening face-off before Friday's game, which will be televised (on a tape-delayed basis) across Canada on ROGERS SPORTSNET.

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 5, 2004


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