WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings game notes

Published on October 10, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


The WHEAT KINGS open up a mini 2-game Western Hockey League road trip Tuesday night in SASKATOON against the BLADES.BRANDON travels to MOOSE JAW on Wednesday.This is the club's first overnight road trip of the 2004-05 WHL season.BRANDON is coming off Saturday night's disappointing 3-2 overtime loss to the visiting SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS at the Keystone Centre.LUKE HUNTER'S goal at the :24 second mark of overtime gave SWIFT CURRENT the win, after BRANDON had battled back from an early 2-0 deficit to force extra time thanks to RYAN STONE'S second goal of the game with six minutes to play in the third period.The victory snapped BRANDON'S 3-game winning streak but the WHEAT KINGS have managed to collect at least a point in all four games that they've played this season.Entering Tuesday's game against the BLADES, the WHEATS are 3-0-0-1, good for seven points.BRANDON is 2-0-0-1 at home and in it's only road game of the season so far, rookie netminder TYLER PLANTE made 35 saves including thirteen in the final period to backstop the WHEAT KINGS to a 4-2 victory over the PATS in REGINA - back on September 25th.The loss also snapped BRANDON'S 9-game regular season win streak - dating back to February of last season - since general manager KELLY MCCRIMMON took over behind the WHEAT KINGS' bench.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.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 Tuesday's game, 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 nine points including six goals in just four games.Captain TIM KONSORADA is 2-5-7 in four games while ERIC FEHR, one of only three WHL players to score fifty goals last season, has three goals and 5 points.KONSORADA and STONE have scored at least a point in all four 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) and defenceman JON WEBB (shoulder). Both are listed as day-to-day entering this week's play.

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 six games to reach the 250-game plateau in his WHL career.Former KAMLOOPS BLAZER TYLER BOLDT is 34 games away from 300.With his two goals on Saturday, RYAN STONE eclipsed the 150-point plateau 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.

VS. SASKATOON: During last year's season series against the BLADES, BRANDON was 8-1-1.ERIC FEHR (9-9-18), MARK SHEFCHYK (5-11-16) and RYAN STONE (6-7-13) led the WHEAT KINGS in scoring while MIKE NICHOL posted a sparkling 2.27 goals against average in three appearances.

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.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.Over 1,000 fans have entered the BRANDON SUN / SOBKOW TECHNOLOGIES WHL FANTASY DRAFT. Deadline was Friday.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2004


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