WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings Game Notes

March 8, 2004 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


BRANDON GAME NOTES: The WHEAT KINGS will be hoping to tighten their grip on third place in the Western Hockey League's Eastern Division Wednesday night when they kick off a 2-game series against the visiting SASKATOON BLADES.BRANDON enters the week riding a 2-game winning streak and sitting three points up on fourth place REGINA.The WHEAT KINGS are coming off back to back victories on the road - defeating LETHBRIDGE 4-2 last Friday and the PATS 2-0 on Saturday night at the Agridome.Not only did Friday's win snap a 3-game (0-2-1) winless streak, it was BRANDON'S first victory away from home since defeating the BRONCOS 4-1 in SWIFT CURRENT on January 30th.By following that up with Saturday's victory, the WHEAT KINGS managed to win two straight road games for the first time this season.On Friday night, ERIK CHRISTENSEN scored what turned out to be the game winner and assisted on another for the WHEAT KINGS while JOSH HARDING beat his old team for the first time the following night, blocking 21 PATS' shots to earn the shutout.BRANDON enters tonight's game with a record of 24-32-9-3 on the season.The WHEATS are 15-13-4-1 at home and 9-19-5-2 on the road.BRANDON is 2-0-0 in March after finishing the month of February with a 3-5-3 record.BRANDON is 2-3-9 in overtime games this season.BRANDON has qualified for the playoffs for the 11th time in the past twelve years.Three of the WHEAT KINGS' final four games will be played at home and two of the remaining games are against REGINA.Wednesday night is the final RAIN CHECK game of the 2003-2004 campaign.

KELLY RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES: Friday's game was BRANDONS first since head coach MIKE KELLY was relieved of his duties earlier in the week.The two weekend victories made a winner of general manager KELLY MCCRIMMON, who has replaced KELLY for the balance of the season.A former coach in the SJHL, MCCRIMMON has coached parts of three seasons in the WHL, compiling an overall record of 36-83-7 with a team that was undergoing a massive rebuilding in the early nineties.Saturday's game marked the first time ever MCCRIMMON, as coach, has faced off against BOB LOWES.McCRIMMON hired LOWES as coach of the WHEAT KINGS in 1992 and were the architects behind BRANDON'S back to back Memorial Cup appearances - in 1995 and '96.LOWES' first season as coach of the WHEAT KINGS saw BRANDON establish a Canadian Hockey League record for being the Most Improved Team in major junior hockey history.

SCORING HARD TO COME BY: Friday night marked only the second time in their last ten games that the WHEAT KINGS have managed to score more than two goals.One of the reasons has been the club's lack of production with the man advantage. Before going 2-5 on the powerplay Friday night, BRANDON had gone 4-51 (7.3%) in it's previous ten games.Overall, the WHEAT KINGS are still third (20.7%).Penalty killing, the WHEAT KINGS have dropped from 12th to 17th in the past week (81%).

WHOSE HOT? JOSH HARDING has started twenty-three of 27 games since joining the WHEAT KINGS on January 7th and is currently seventh in the WHL with a sparkling .921 save percentage. His five shutouts leave him tied for fifth in the league.TYLER DYCK has five goals in his last seven games.With 74 points, ERIC FEHR is currently 11th in league scoring.

INJURY UPDATE: JON WEBB (back), ANDRE BLANCHETTE (shoulder) and REAGAN LESLIE (concussion) are questionable.Defenceman OLE-KRISTIAN TOLLEFSEN and center RYAN STONE returned to the lineup last weekend after missing games last weekend.

MILESTONES: Netminder JOSH HARDING'S 21-save performance last Saturday earned him his fifth shutout of the season and third since joining the WHEATS in January. The PATS' all time franchise leader (9 shutouts), is currently tied with ROBERT McVICAR for seventh place on the WHEAT KINGS' all time list. JAMIE HODSON and GLEN HANLON are the franchise leaders with eight.HARDING played in his 150th career game Saturday and has moved to within 197 minutes from eclipsing the 9,000 minute mark.BRANDON'S top three scorers - ERIC FEHR (44), TYLER DYCK (34) and LANCE MONYCH (26) - have career highs in goals this season.DYCK'S 65 points this season represents a career high.Defenceman STEVEN LATER'S goal Friday night was his first as a member of the WHEAT KINGS.LANCE MONYCH played in his 250th career WHL game last Sunday night against REGINA.5-year WHL veteran ERIK CHRISTENSEN will be playing in his 335th career game tonight, moving him into a tie with former PRINCE GEORGE COUGAR IAN WALTERSON for 24th place on the league's all time list for games played.

STATISTICAL ODDS 'N ENDS: Former MIDGET AAA WHEAT KING scoring star MARK DERLAGO leads BRANDON'S rookie scoring (8-15-23).BRANDON is 18-8-4 when opening the scoring.Defencemen JON WEBB leads BRANDON with 176 penalty minutes.Entering this weekend ERIC FEHR'S 44 goals leaves him tied with NIGEL DAWES for third in the WHL, his 21 powerplay goals are third in the league while his five shorthanded goals are also third.

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? The WHEAT KINGS have surrendered 79 powerplay tallies - second most in the league behind only the last place SASKATOON BLADES. BRANDON is currently averaging 3,110 per home game.BRANDON is 2-6-2 in it's last ten games.Former PAT JOSH HARDING was BRANDON'S JACK FRASER PLAYER OF THE MONTH, after posting an impressive 2.36 goals against, a .927 save pct and one shutout in nine appearances last month.The WHEAT KING family is mourning the loss of HEAVY EVASON, who died this past weekend at the age of 41. A former assistant coach in BRANDON, EVASON also served as coach of the MJHL's NEEPAWA NATIVES and PORTAGE TERRIERS. He had been working with SPECIAL OLYMPICS and scout for the KAMLOOPS BLAZERS.

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