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WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings game notes

November 2, 2004 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Kamloops, B.C. -- The Brandon Wheat Kings will be hoping to put the brakes on a 3-game winless streak Tuesday night when they play game four of their 7-game western excursion in Kamloops against Dean Clark's Blazers.

After going 6-3-0-1 through their first ten games of the regular season, the Wheat Kings have stumbled to an 0-2-1 start out west, losing back to back 2-1 decisions this past weekend in Vancouver and Kelowna.

One of the reasons for the club's lack of production recently has been the Wheat Kings inability to capitalize with the man advantage. After beginning the trip last week in Prince George with the WHL's leading powerplay (28.1%), the Wheat Kings have gone 0-15 on the powerplay during their recent winless skid.

While scoring has been a problem, the work of goalkeepers Mike Nichol and Tyler Plante has not. The two Brandon products have combined to stop 114-122 shots on the trip, which translates to a sparkling .943 save percentage.

Tonight's game will be only the second meeting between these two clubs since Clark left Brandon for Kamloops after the 2002-03 campaign and the first to be played in B.C. In the only game played between the two teams last season, the Wheat Kings roared back from a 4-0 first period deficit to tie the visiting Blazers 4-4 at the Keystone Centre. That game came less than a week after Brandon and Kamloops engineered a multi-player blockbuster trade that saw Dustin Slade, Tyler Boldt and Erik Christensen go to the Wheat Kings in exchange for Derek Werenka, Josh Garbutt, Geoff McIntosh and Rick Kozak.

Although Werenka is expected to be in the Kamloops lineup tonight, Kozak won't be. The former Wheat King right-winger will be serving the final game of a 15-game WHL suspension.

Brandon meanwhile hopes to have Teegan Moore and defenceman Steven Later in the lineup. Later sustained a contusion on the back of his left hand during Saturday's loss in Kelowna while Moore has recovered from a bout of strep throat.

Following tonight's game the Wheat Kings will travel to Cranbrook where they will play the Kootenay Ice on Wednesday before closing out this 7-game, 11-day marathon over the weekend with games in Calgary and Swift Current.

Brandon's next home game is Thursday, November 11th at 2:30 p.m. when Kevin Constantine's Everett Silvertips make their first ever appearance at the Keystone Centre. Tickets to that game are now on sale at the Keystone box office, by calling 726-3555 or on line at ticketmaster.ca The first 3,000 fans in attendance at that game will receive a full color Eric Fehr poster, courtesy of Simplot Agribusiness.

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