Rajala, Wheat Kings To Face Hitmen
October 7, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release
Brandon, Manitoba -- The Brandon Wheat Kings continue their 4-game homestand Wednesday night at Westman Place and it looks as though Finnish right-winger Toni Rajala will be making his Western Hockey League debut against the visiting Calgary Hitmen.
The highly touted 18-year old, who arrived in Brandon last month, has been delayed until now by a knee injury suffered while skating with the Finnish national junior team in August.
"It's feeling very good," Rajala told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun earlier this week. "Of course I'm very, very excited to play."
A fourth round draft choice of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers, Rajala was taken by the Wheat Kings with the 14th overall selection of the 2009 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
Rajala is coming off a terrific season - both in Finland and on the International front. As a member of the Ilves Juniors last season, he averaged a point per game. Then came an outstanding performance at the 2009 Under 18 Championship in Fargo, North Dakota in April when he led the tournament in scoring and was named the event's Top Forward.
While Brandon enters Wednesday's game having won four of its last 5 games, the Hitmen sit atop the Central Division with an impressive 5-1-0 record. Tonight's game is also a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Championship Final.
The Wheat Kings will close out this homestand on Friday night with a game against the Kootenay Ice.
Game time Wednesday is 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale at the Keystone Centre box office (Pioneer Lounge), by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca.
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- Rajala, Wheat Kings To Face Hitmen - Brandon Wheat Kings
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