WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings game notes

Published on October 18, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


The WHEAT KINGS continue a 4-game Western Hockey League home stand Saturday night against the defending champion MEDICINE HAT TIGERS.After dropping the opening game of this home stand - 6-4 to the visiting SASKATOON BLADES last Friday, BRANDON rebounded with an impressive 3-1 win over the PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS on Sunday. ERIC FEHR with two and 17-year old center CODEY BURKI, with his first goal of the season, scored for the WHEAT KINGS on Sunday, who received a 22-save performance from rookie netminder TYLER PLANTE.In Friday's loss to the BLADES, veteran RYAN KELLER scored three times to pace the BLADES, who were outshot 35-30. MARK SHEFCHYK scored twice in a losing cause for the WHEAT KINGS.The win improved BRANDON'S record to 5-2-0-1 on the season, good for eleven points and second place in the WHL's Eastern Division.The WHEATS are 3-1-0-1 at home and 2-1-0 on the road.BRANDON will close out this home stand Sunday night at six against NIGEL DAWES and the KOOTENAY ICE.Following Sunday's game, the WHEATIES will hit the highway for their annual west coast road trip.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.Entering this week the WHEAT KINGS still have 25 players on their active roster including ten WHL rookies.

MCCRIMMON'S IMPRESSIVE RUN IS OVER: Excluding last year's playoffs, the WHEAT KINGS are 11-1-0-1 since MCCRIMMON replaced MIKE KELLY last March.Friday's loss was MCCRIMMON'S first (in regulation time) since moving behind the bench.MCCRIMMON was attending league meetings in CALGARY earlier in the week when the WHEATS dropped a 5-4 decision in SASKATOON.

WHEATIES WHEEL & DEAL: The WHEATS trimmed their roster to 25 players including the league limit of three overagers last Thursday, by trading 20-year old defenceman TYLER BOLDT and 18-year old left-winger JAMISON ORR to SASKATOON in exchange for a fifth round bantam draft choice and a switch in the team's first round selections in next year's CHL Import draft.BRANDON'S 20-year old contingent includes TIM KONSORADA, ANDRE BLANCHETTE and STEVEN LATER.

WHOSE BEEN HOT? RYAN STONE is among the league leaders with seven goals and 16 points in eight games.Captain TIM KONSORADA is 3-10-13 in eight games while ERIC FEHR, one of only three WHL players to score fifty goals last season, has eight goals and 12 points.STONE has at least a point in all eight games this season while KONSORADA had his 7-game point scoring streak snapped Sunday night against the RAIDERS.Defenceman STEVEN LATER has a point in six of his last seven games.After scoring two assists through the first six games of the regular season, former MIDGET AAA WHEAT KING TYLER DITTMER set up two goals vs. PRINCE ALBERT on Sunday night.

INJURIES: The WHEAT KINGS are currently without rookie TYLER STRAUTMAN (shoulder), who is listed as day-to-day.TEEGAN MOORE is out with a foot injury.

MILESTONES: Captain TIM KONSORADA needs two games to reach the 250-game plateau in his WHL career.With his two goals last weekend vs. SWIFT CURRENT, RYAN STONE eclipsed the 150-point plateau in his career.Finnish rookie SAMI SANDELL picked up his first WHL points - both assists - in Wednesday's win over MOOSE JAW while rookie RYAN REAVES and second year defenceman STEPHANE LENOSKI both scored their first ever WHL goals in the same game.

VS. MEDICINE HAT: BRANDON won one of five games against the TIGERS during the 2003-04 campaign.ERIC FEHR (6-0-6) and RYAN STONE (1-4-5) led the WHEAT KINGS in scoring.

BRANDON BITS: RYAN STONE'S seven goals are third best in the WHL.BRANDON'S penalty killing, which has struggled to start the season, killed off six of seven PRINCE ALBERT powerplays last Sunday night at the Keystone Centre. BRANDON'S powerplay meanwhile went 2-9 in that game and continues to lead the Western Hockey League.Saturday's game will include a Special Salute to western Manitoba's School patrols - presented by MANITOBA PUBLIC INSURANCE, CAA MANITOBA, NEXEN CHEMICALS and PAULS' HAULING.Sunday vs. KOOTENAY is NATIONAL PEACEKEEPING DAY and the WHEAT KINGS will be recognizing CFB SHILO at that game.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2004


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