WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Anxious To Start

Published on April 2, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Saskatoon, SK -- After battling each other for the Eastern Division pennant throughout the 2009-10 regular season, the Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades are set to kick off their Western Hockey League Eastern Conference Semi-Final Friday night.

Due to the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair being held this week in Brandon's Keystone Centre, the best of seven series will begin this weekend in Saskatoon with games one and two on Friday and Saturday nights. The series will then shift back to Brandon for games three, four and 5 (if necessary) on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

While Brandon came on strong during the final few weeks of the regular season to finish on top of the division with a 50-18-1-3 record, the Blades wound up in second place - just five points back with 99.

"I guess you could call those guys the biggest rival we have in the time that I've been here," Saskatoon native Brayden Schenn told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun earlier this week."They're a team that we've had a lot of battles with fighting for pennants . and we're looking forward to the series. It should be a hard-fought series and it should be a good one."

After finishing second and third overall, respectively, in the regular-season standings, both teams are coming off first-round playoff sweeps - the Wheat Kings beat the Swift Current Broncos, while the Blades defeated the Red Deer Rebels.

Brandon won five of eight regular season games between these two teams. However, three of those games wound up being decided in overtime.

Schenn led Brandon in scoring during the 8-game season series with three goals and 14 points, followed by Matt Calvert and defenceman Matt Calvert with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Stefan Elliott and Walker Wintoneak led all Saskatoon scorers with seven points a piece.

In goal, former Seattle Thunderbird Jacob DeSerres, who played all four opening round playoff games compiled a 3-1-1 record, a .904 save percentage and a 2.92 goals against average in five games against the Blades during the regular season. Steven Stanford meanwhile was 3-2-1 with a 3.79 goals against mark in seven appearances vs. Brandon.

While Brandon's first round opponent - the Broncos - were quick and a challenge to contain at times, the Blades bring a different approach to the rink. Saskatoon plays a physical game and Brandon coach and general manager Kelly McCrimmon promises that his Wheat Kings will be ready for them once the series gets going, following a 9-day layoff.

"We've got a big club as well and I don't think that this year we've changed our game based on our opponent. We try to make sure we do a good job of executing the game that we want to play and if we do that, we've been able to play with most teams."

Two players that won't be in the Brandon lineup tonight are Jordan Hale and Ryley Miller. Miller is out with a broken jaw while Hale is currently serving a 3-game suspension. Saskatoon meanwhile will be without their head coach and 4 players after the WHL came down hard on the Blades for an ugly line brawl in game two of their series against the Rebels. Lorne Molleken is not eligible to return to the bench until game three on Wednesday night.

Tonight's game can be heard on 880 CKLQ, beginning with the pre-game show at 7:35 p.m.

Tickets to games three and four are on sale at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2010


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