WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings game notes

Published on September 25, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


The WHEAT KINGS will be hoping to complete a sweep of their home and home season opening weekend series with the PATS tonight when they travel to REGINA.The WHEATS kicked off the 2004-2005 Western Hockey League season Friday night with an exciting 4-3 victory over the PATS before close to 5,000 fans at the Keystone Centre.Captain TIM KONSORADA scored the game winner with just 20 seconds remaining in the third period.The COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS' draft choice finished the night with three points, as he set up powerplay goals by ERIC FEHR and RYAN STONE.JEFF TOPILKO also scored for the WHEAT KINGS, who outshot the PATS 32-28.With the win, BRANDON improved its record to 9-2-0 in home openers over the past eleven years.The WHEAT KINGS are coming off an up and down 2003-04 campaign - a season that saw them finish in third place in the WHL's Eastern Division with a record of 28-32-9-3.BRANDON did however finish strongly, going 7-2-1 in it's final ten regular season games and upsetting the heavily favored PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS in the opening round of the playoffs, before bowing out to the MEDICINE HAT TIGERS four games to one in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.Not including last year's post season play, the WHEATIES enter tonight's game riding a 5-game regular season winning streak. The WHEAT KINGS haven't lost a regular season game since February 29th against the PATS.Among the seven players missing from last year's club are goalkeeper JOSH HARDING, all star left-winger LANCE MONYCH as well as the likes of ERIK CHRISTENSEN, TYLER DYCK, RICHARD JASOVSKY and defenceman REAGAN LESLIE.Entering tonight's game, the WHEAT KINGS have 27 players on their active roster including ten WHL rookies.

WHEATIES WITHOUT DERLAGO: The WHEAT KINGS will be without 18-year old left-winger MARK DERLAGO for the entire 2004-05 campaign, after the former Manitoba AAA Midget League scoring star fractured his second vertebrae during last Saturday's pre-season loss to REGINA, when he was struck by an illegal check from the PATS' JORDAN MCGILLIVRAY.A nephew of former WHEAT KINGS' scoring star BILL DERLAGO, MARK was BRANDON'S CKX Television Rookie of the Year last season after finishing with 28 points (8-20-28) in 65 games.

PRE-SEASON REVISITED: BRANDON was 1-3-0 in four pre-season games this month.The WHEAT KINGS only win came against MOOSE JAW (3-2 in overtime on September 10th).During the four games, the WHEATS were outscored to the tune of 15-10.Center RYAN STONE led the club in pre-season scoring (2-3-5).Rookie TYLER PLANTE was 1-1-0 with a 2.99 goals against average and an .897 save percentage.

WHEAT KING INJURIES: In addition to DERLAGO, several members of the club are nursing various bumps and bruises - TYLER BOLDT (foot), rookie defenceman MIKE CANN (groin) and former LETHBRIDGE HURRICANE JAMISON ORR (shoulder) are listed as day to day.

A LOOK AT THE NEW FACES: Among the new faces on this year's team is 18-year old left-winger JAMISON ORR, who was 3-0-3 in 35 games with LETHBRIDGE last season, 16-year old defenceman MIKE CANN, who was the WHEAT KINGS' first round selection in the 2003 WHL bantam draft and 17-year old power forward RYAN REAVES, who led ST. JOHN'S RAVENSCOURT to the provincial High School Championship last winter.

MILESTONES: Captain TIM KONSORADA needs nine games to reach the 250-game plateau in his WHL career.Former KAMLOOPS BLAZER TYLER BOLDT is 35 games away from 300.RYAN STONE is seven points away from 150 in his career.Four WHEAT KINGS made their WHL debuts last night - TYLER DITTMER, RYAN REAVES, SAMI SANDELL and DARYL BOYLE.

BRANDON BITS: WHEAT KINGS lost back to back pre-season games to REGINA last weekend.BRANDON opens the regular season with four local products on it's active roster - DEREK LEBLANC, MIKE NICHOL, TYLER DITTMER and 17-yearold goalkeeper TYLER PLANTE.With last night's goal, ERIC FEHR has scored goals in each of the four home openers that he has played in at the Keystone Centre.WHEAT KINGS were 2-4 with the man advantage last night while giving up two powerplay goals to the PATS.

For more information including stats and live real audio broadcasts, please visit http://www.wheatkings.com/gameday_scoutingreport.aspx?game_id=2

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Western Hockey League Stories from September 25, 2004


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