WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings game notes

Published on November 4, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


The WHEAT KINGS will be hoping to get back on track Friday night when they begin the final leg of their grueling 7-game in eleven day western road swing in CALGARY against DEAN EVASON'S HITMEN.One night after the WHEAT KINGS had snapped a two year drought on the west coast with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the BLAZERS in KAMLOOPS, BRANDON fell by the same 3-2 count Wednesday night in Cranbrook to the KOOTENAY ICE.CASEY LEE'S goal five minutes into the third period proved to be the difference as the WHEAT KINGS lost for the third time in five games (1-3-1) on this trip.All three defeats have been decided by one goal.BRANDON enters Friday's game with a record of 7-6-1-1, good for sixteen points and second place in the Western Hockey League's Eastern Division - nine back of the first place SASKATOON BLADES.ERIC FEHR, with his team leading 13th goal of the season and 100th of his WHL career and left-winger COREY COURCHENE scored in a losing cause for the WHEAT KINGS, who despite the loss outshot the ICE 14-4 in the final period of Wednesday's game.On Tuesday night, RYAN STONE'S second goal of the game - shorthanded - with just under five minutes remaining in regulation time lifted BRANDON to the victory.BRANDON has been outshot 184-123 and outscored 13-11 through the first five games of this trip, which ends Saturday night in SWIFT CURRENT.BRANDON is currently 4-2-0-1 at home; 3-4-1 on the road; 2-3-1 vs. Western Conference clubs and 0-0-1-1 in overtime this season.BRANDON currently has 24 players on it's active roster.

STONE IS PLAYER OF THE MONTH: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS' second round draft choice RYAN STONE has been chosen the JACK FRASER WHEAT KING Player of the Month for September / October.STONE managed to score at least a point in ten of 13 games last month and is currently among the league leaders with 12 goals and 25 points.STONE also earned honorable mention for the HUSKY WHL Player of the Month, which was awarded Tuesday afternoon to MEDICINE HAT goalkeeper KEVIN NASTIUK.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Entering tonight's game, BRANDON'S powerplay is working at a 21.9 clip (18-82), good for fourth place in the WHL.ERIC FEHR currently leads the WHL with eight powerplay markers.Penalty killing, the WHEATS are ranked 19th at 77.5%. RYAN STONE leads the WHL with three shorthanded tallies.

VS. CALGARY: BRANDON was 1-3-0 against the HITMEN during the 2003-04 campaign.ERIC FEHR (2-4-6) and RYAN STONE (1-2-3) led the WHEATS in scoring during the season series while netminder MIKE NICHOL played in one game against CALGARY, giving up four goals on 33 shots.

WHOSE BEEN HOT? Goalkeepers MIKE NICHOL and TYLER PLANTE have been solid during the west coast trip, having stopped 171 of 184 opposition shots which translates to a sparkling .929 save percentage.In three games, NICHOL has stopped 102 of 111 shots while PLANTE'S 2.51 goals against average and .917 save pct. currently leads all freshmen goaltenders.RYAN STONE has points in twelve of 15 games this season.ERIC FEHR has goals in three straight games.

BRANDON BITS: 16-year old defenceman MIKE CANN, the club's first selection in the 2003 WHL bantam draft, picked up his first point - an assist - during Wednesday's 3-2 loss to KOOTENAY.STEVEN LATER leads BRANDON'S blueline corps with eight assists this season.7-year old rookie RYAN REAVES is the son of former WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBER all star running back WILLARD REAVES while netminder TYLER PLANTE'S father CAM currently holds the WHL record for most assists in a single season - by a defenceman - with 118, set during the '83-84 campaign.BRANDONS next home game is a Thursday, November 11th when the WHEAT KINGS will host the defending Western Conference Champion EVERETT SILVERTIPS.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 4, 2004


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