WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings game notes

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


The WHEAT KINGS will be hoping to extend their season opening winning streak to four games Saturday night when they play host to the visiting SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS at the Keystone Centre.BRANDON is coming off last Saturday's exciting 4-2 victory over BRENT SUTTER'S RED DEER REBELS.RYAN STONE, the WHL Player of the Week, had two goals to pace the winners while 17-year old rookie netminder TYLER PLANTE turned aside 28 shots including ten in the final period.The win was only the second for the WHEAT KINGS against RED DEER in the last five years (regular season play) and their first since January 2002.During that stretch, the WHEATS are 2-18-1 against the REBELS.BRANDON opened the regular season two weeks ago by sweeping REGINA in a 2-game home and home series.As a result of that, the WHEAT KINGS improved their 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 an 9-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 the weekend, the WHEAT KINGS have 27 players on their active roster including ten WHL rookies.

WHOSE BEEN HOT? RYAN STONE is among the league leaders with seven points including four goals in just three games.Captain TIM KONSORADA is 2-4-6 in three games while ERIC FEHR, one of only three WHL players to score fifty goals last season, has three goals in his first three games. KONSORADA and STONE have scored at least a point in all three games this season.DEREK LEBLANC, who scored just one goal during the 2003-04 campaign, has two goals in his first three games this year.TYLER PLANTE has compiled a 2-0-0 mark, a .940 save pct and a 2.00 goals against average in two appearances.

INJURIES: In addition to left-winger MARK DERLAGO, who will be lost for the season after sustaining a fracture of his second vertebrae during a pre-season game against REGINA, the WHEAT KINGS are currently without right-winger RYAN REAVES (knee), TYLER BOLDT (foot) , and former LETHBRIDGE HURRICANE JAMISON ORR (shoulder). All three are listed as day to day.

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.

MILESTONES: Captain TIM KONSORADA needs seven 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 just two points away from 150 in his career.TYLER PLANTE, who chalked up his first ever WHL win on Sept. 25th in REGINA, made his first home ice start in posting last Saturday's win over the REBELS.

BRANDON BITS: 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.ERIC FEHR has scored goals in each of the four home openers that he has played in at the Keystone Centre.Former WHL all star defenceman BRAD MCCRIMMON, a current assistant coach with the NHL's ATLANTA THRASHERS, spent this past week practicing with BRANDON'S blueline corps.Ex-WHEAT KING BRYAN NATHE has signed with the DAYTON BOMBERS of the ECHL.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 5, 2004


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