WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings Game Notes

Published on March 15, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


3/16/2007: Regina Pats @ Brandon 19:30, Keystone Centre

GAME NOTES: The WHEAT KINGS kick off a weekend home and home series with the visiting REGINA PATS Friday night...A weekend series that will officially bring the curtain down on the 2006-2007 Western Hockey League regular season...BRANDON enters the series with a 40-20-2-8 record, good for 90 points and first place in the Eastern Division; third in the Conference and tied for fifth (with TRI-CITY) in the WHL...BRANDON has won the division for the second time in three years; the fourth in six and tenth since joining the Western Canada Hockey League in 1967...The WHEAT KINGS had their season high 9-game win streak come to an end last Saturday, dropping a 3-2 decision to the BRONCOS in SWIFT CURRENT...Before losing Saturday night, the WHEAT KINGS had gone 12 games (11-0-0-1) without a defeat in regulation time... BRANDON enters Friday's game - their final home game of the year - with an impressive 26-4-1-4 record on home ice, good for 57 points and third overall (behind EVERETT'S 61 points and MEDICINE HAT'S 60)...The WHEAT KINGS are also riding a 9-game home ice winning streak (BRANDON hasn't lost at the Keystone Centre since dropping a 3-1 decision to SASKATOON on Feb. 6th)...On the road, the WHEAT KINGS are two games under the .500 mark (14-16-1-4)...BRANDON is 9-1-0 in its last ten games...4-1-0 in March after going 9-2-0-1 in February...22-10-2-6 against Eastern Division rivals...5-8-2 in Overtime and 4-8 in Shootouts...Since 1967, BRANDON has finished with 40 or more victories on fourteen occasions and ha s qualified for post season play in fourteen of the last 15 years...WHEAT KINGS will open up their best of seven opening round playoff series next weekend with games one and two Friday and Saturday nights at the Keystone Centre against either PRINCE ALBERT, MOOSE JAW or SASKATOON.

VS. REGINA: This is the eighth of nine meetings between these two teams...BRANDON is 2-2-0-3 against the PATS...One of BRANDON'S two victories came the last time they faced off against one another. The WHEAT KINGS scored three unanswered third period goals and then won it on JURAJ SIMEK'S overtime goal...MARK DERLAGO (3-4-7) and ANDREW CLARK (4-2-6) lead BRANDON in scoring during the 7-game season series...Netminder TYLER PLANTE is 2-1-0-2 with a 3.44 goals against average in six appearances vs. REGINA.

LAST GAME: DAVID STIELER'S third period powerplay goal with nine minutes remaining in regulation time proved to be the winner as the SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS stopped BRANDON 3-2 Saturday night...MARK DERLAGO and DARYL BOYLE scored goals in a losing cause for the WHEAT KINGS, who were outshot 29-27...The loss was BRANDON'S first regulation defeat away from home since February 11th (5-1 loss in REGINA).

PLANTE EARNS SHOPPERS MALL HONOUR: 19-year old netminder TYLER PLANTE has been chosen, by western Manitoba hockey fans, the WHEAT KINGS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR for 2006-07...A second round draft choice of the NHL's FLORIDA PANTHERS, PLANTE has played in 53 of BRANDON'S 70 games this season, compiling a 2.66 goals against average and a .913 save pct...During the second intermission of tonight's game, PRECISION TOYOTA will unveil the 2007 UNSUNG HERO AWARD winner.

WHO'S BEEN HOT? CODEY BURKI has points in 6 of his last 7 games (5-6-11) and 8 of his last 10 (7-6-13)...Captain MARK DERLAGO has 9 goals in his last 13 games...Since his acquisition from PORTLAND at January's WHL trade deadline, ROB KLINKHAMMER is 9-19-28 in 25 games and he's 6-16-22 in his last 14...Despite being shutout during back to back games last weekend, 20-year old JEFF TOPILKO has scored points in 12 of 15 (12-11-23)...Rookie JAY FEHR is 0-5-5 in his last 6 games...Defenceman DARYL BOYLE has points in his last four games and during that span, he's 3-2-5.

MILESTONES: MARK DERLAGO recently surpassed the 150-point plateau in his WHL career...DUSTIN KOHN played the 250th game of his career last Wednesday...JEFF TOPILKO will move into a tie with ERIC FEHR for 11th place on the club's all time list for games played (279)...Last week's crowd of 5,927 (second largest in franchise history), established a new Single Season Attendance record, breaking the old record set in 2002-03. WHEAT KINGS are currently averaging 4,098 fans per home game...The club's all time leader with 12 career shutouts, TYLER PLANTE is second all time in games (163) and minutes played (9464). The club record currently belongs to current WASHINGTON CAPITALS' coach GLEN HANLON (172 games; 9805 minutes pl ayed).

DID YOU KNOW? Three members of the Wheat Kings are in the WHL's Top 20 in scoring - CODEY BURKI is 7th, MARK DERLAGO is 12th and ROB KLINKHAMMER is 16th with 80,76 and 71 points respectively...MARK DERLAGO leads the league with 42 goals and is third in the WHL with 21 powerplay tallies...Netminder TYLER PLANTE has moved into the leag ue's top ten with a 2.66 goals against average. He's 3rd in saves (1461)...DUSTIN KOHN leads the club with a +24...ROB KLINKHAMMER has 7 game winning goals this year...BRANDON'S powerplay (20.2%) is third in the WHL while its penalty killing is 13th (82.3%)...Longtime owner and governor BOB CORNELL will receive the WHL GOVERNORS AWARD from League Commissioner BOB CORNELL.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2007


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