WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Curtain comes down on season

Published on March 19, 2006 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan -- The defending Western Hockey League Eastern Conference Champion Brandon Wheat Kings may have clinched their thirteenth playoff appearance in the past 14 years last weekend, but came up just short of finishing the 2005-06 regular season with a .500 record.

Troy Brouwer's third period goal proved to be the difference Saturday night as Moose Jaw edged Brandon 3-2 to bring the curtain down on the regular season and snap Brandon's season high 5-game winning streak.

A Brandon win Saturday night would have given the Wheat Kings a .500 record on the year. Not bad, when you consider that the Wheat Kings were eleven games under the .500 mark in late November.

The Wheat Kings finished the regular season with a 30-32-6-4 record (20-10-5-1 at home and 10-22-1-3 on the road), good for 70 points and sixth place in the WHL's Eastern Conference.

Mark Derlago, with his team high 28th goal of the season, and Codey Burki with his 27th of the year, scored in a losing cause for the Wheat Kings, who will open up their best of seven opening round playoff series against the Warriors on Friday night in Moose Jaw. Burki finished on top of the club scoring race with 61 points in 70 games while Derlago was one of only two Wheat Kings to play in all 72 regular season games this year. The other was 18-year old defenceman Daryl Boyle.

Due to the annual scheduling conflict with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, the Wheat Kings will be forced to play games three and four of their opening round series at Winnipeg's MTS Centre - an arena that has seen Brandon win eight of nine games in since it opened last winter. Tickets to the two playoff games, scheduled for Monday and Thursday, March 27th and 30th at 7 p.m., will go on sale Monday morning at 10 a.m. at the MTS Centre box office. Fans can also purchase tickets (in person) at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 780-3333 or online at ticketmaster.ca

In other news, the Wheat Kings announced their 2005-06 grand prize winners during Friday's Fan Appreciation Night against the visiting Regina Pats at the Keystone Centre. Among the winners were Steven Lidster of Brandon (McDonalds Super Goalie Races; pair of 2006-07 Season Tickets), Jane Hunt of Winnipeg (RBC Financial Mountain Bikes from Stream 'n Wood), Ken Wray of Tilston (Monsanto seed and replica jersey), Wade Joppling of Brandon (Television City Panasonic prize package) and 11-year old Caitlyn Kroeker of Boissevain School (CIBC Read to Succeed; PSP Player).

Over $2,500 in prizes were given away during Friday's game. Among the participating sponsors were Heritage Co-op, Brandon Sun, Molson, Meyers Norris Penny, O'Kelleys Pub & Restaurant, Old Dutch, Pizza Hut, Gullivers Grill, Tim Hortons, Imperial Radio, Goodlife Foods, MTS Yellow Pages, Manitoba Hydro, Precision Toyota, Source for Sports, Sport Chek, Rafters, Maple Leaf, Canadian Tire, Remingtons Seafood & Steakhouse, McCallum Jewellers and Brandon recording artist Amanda Stott.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2006


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