WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Beat Tigers in Final Second of Third Period

Published on January 8, 2020 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


On Tuesday night at Westoba Place it appeared it was going to take at least an overtime to solve the outcome between the Brandon Wheat Kings and Medicine Hat Tigers.

But Jiri Patera must not have felt like waiting any longer, because after he gloved a shot in the final seconds of the third period, he shoveled the puck to Braden Schneider who took a few strides in his own end and found Ridly Greig streaking up the ice near Medicine Hat's blue line. Greig broke in with three defenders surrounding him and got a shot off on Tiger's goaltender, Mads Sogaard. Sogaard made the initial stop - his 26th save of 30 shots on the evening - but his rebound struck one of his teammates and went back into his net with just half of a second to play.

Ty Thorpe, the game's first star and the catalyst who scored a short handed goal to tie the game in the third period, played one of the best games of his season and was thrilled for the Wheat King's two points.

"We were all working hard and we played a full 60 minutes...to finally get that go ahead goal right at the end, the building was right behind us - it was awesome".

Brandon goaltender, Jiri Patera, entered Tuesday's game with a two-game shutout streak that ended in the final two minutes of the first period. Cole Sillinger scored for the Tigers and sent the visiting team into the first intermission with a one -goal lead.

Patera - who earned the game's second star - bounced back and played exceptionally, stopping 44 of 47 shots on the evening.

Brandon tied the game early in the second when Ben McCartney forced a turnover and found Luka Burzan at the side of of Sogaard's net. Medicine Hat's Corson Hopwo scored at the 13:45 mark to put the Tigers up 2-1 entering the second intermission.

Early in the third, the Wheat Kings were killing a penalty when Ty Thorpe gathered a miscalculated drop pass by the Tigers and went in all alone to find Sogaard's five-hole and tie the game. Less than a minute later, Ridly Greig scored to put the Wheat Kings up 3-2 and force a massive swing in momentum between the two teams.

In the waning minutes of the game and the Wheat Kings clinging to a 1-goal lead, the Tigers' Noah Danielson scored with 3:06 left in the period, parked at the side of Patera's goal and receiving a gorgeous pass from the WHL's leading scorer, James Hamblin.

But with the crowd beginning to settle in for what looked like an overtime period, that's when the late game heroics took place for Greig's second and game-winning goal.

The outcome snaps Medicine Hat's two-game win streak and pushes Brandon's win-streak to five, the Wheaties' longest win streak of the season. They look to extend it this Friday at home on January 10th, at 7:30 PM against the Red Deer Rebels. They follow that with a game against the Prince George Cougars on the 15th and Calgary Hitmen on the 17th to round out a 4-game home stand. Tickets are available by calling (204) 726-3555 or online at www.keystonecentre.com/tickets.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2020


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