WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

McGillivray gets three games

Published on September 23, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Brandon, Manitoba -- The 2004-2005 Western Hockey League regular season kicks off on Friday night on seven fronts including the Keystone Centre, where the Wheat Kings could have as many as four local products on the ice.

The number would have been five, had it not been for last week's illegal hit by Regina's Jordan McGillivray on Wheat Kings' 18-year old left-winger Mark Derlago. A second period collision resulted in a fracture to Derlago's second vertabrae and will keep him from playing this entire season.

As for McGillivray, he's been slapped with a three-game suspension by the WHL and will not play in this weekend's home and home season opening series against the Wheat Kings.

Despite the absense of Derlago, the Wheat Kings still have four Brandon natives on their active roster - goalkeepers Mike Nichol and Tyler Plante and forwards Derek LeBlanc and Tyler Dittmer. Of the four, Dittmer has missed the last two pre-season games with a concussion and is currently listed as day to day. While LeBlanc and Nichol spent the 2003-04 campaign with the Wheat Kings, Dittmer and Plante, son of ex-Brandon blueliner Cam Plante, helped the AAA Wheat Kings to last spring's national midget championship in Kenora.

As for Friday's opener, veteran right-winger Eric Fehr, who has scored goals in each of his three home openers during his WHL career, told Bruce Luebke of 880 CKLQ that as one of the club's leaders his job is to prepare the young guys the best he can.

"It definitely feels a lot different being one of the older guys around the room," says Fehr, who was one of only three WHL players to score 50 goals last season. "Seeing a bunch of the young guys, they're kind of nervous getting ready for the season but I think as an older guy, you've been there before and you just have to bear down and get ready for the first game just like you would any other game."

A former first round draft choice of the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals, the 19-year old Winkler product became the first Wheat King in eight years to reach the 50-goal plateau when he reached the milestone last year. Mike Leclerc of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim was the last Brandon player to do it when he scored 58 times during the '95-96 season.

Winners of eight of their last ten home openers, the Wheat Kings enter the season having won six straight regular season games. In fact, Brandon hasn't lost a regular season game since February 29th when the Wheat Kings dropped a 2-1 decision to the Pats.

These two teams will conclude the weekend home and home on Saturday night at the Agridome in Regina.

As of Thursday morning, there were still two thousand tickets remaining for Friday's Coca Cola Home Opener. Fans can purchase tickets at the Keystone box office, by calling 726-3555 or on line at ticketmaster.ca

The first 3,000 fans in attendance Friday will receive a complimentary Wheat Kings' Cheering Towel, courtesy of M & M Meatshops and Operation ID.

Fans will also be treated to special pre-game festivities, presented by the hockey club's major corporate sponsors - Brandon Sun, Coca Cola, Molson Canadian, Monsanto, Simplot and McDonalds.

As well, the Wheat Kings will debut their new "white" jerseys.

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Western Hockey League Stories from September 23, 2004


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