WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Can't Slow Broncos' Offensive Roll

Published on January 12, 2024 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


A game that started out even between the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Swift Current Broncos didn't stay that way for long. Swift Current's high-flying offense took over in the third period after erasing a Wheat King lead.

Connor Hvidston scored twice and the Broncos beat the Wheat Kings 7-3. Roger McQueen, Brett Hyland, and Hayden Wheddon scored for the Wheat Kings in the loss.

"Those three goals we gave up in the second period were just careless turnovers," said head coach and GM Marty Murray. "We had complete control of the puck. Two led directly to goals and one led to a penalty where they scored on the power play. For me, that's the difference."

A funny goal at each end told the story of the scoring in the first period. First, a Broncos' pokecheck knocked the puck off McQueen's stick but directly into their own net to make it 1-0 Wheat Kings. Then, Brady Birnie tried to bank it in off Bjarnason from below the goal line and succeeded, but it was several seconds before anyone realized he'd tied the score.

There was nothing funny or lucky about the goal Hyland buried in the final minute of the first. After Carter Klippenstein broke the puck out and found Andrei Maliavin joining the rush, Maliavin and Hyland worked a quick passing play that ended with Hyand one-timing the puck home for the 2-1 lead.

McQueen went back to work, this time as a set-up man, in the second period. After making a nifty move between his legs, McQueen fed it to the back post, where Wheddon was waiting to knock it home.

The Broncos countered quickly, however. First, off a turnover, Caleb Wyrostok drove the net and Hvidston followed up his drive and knocked it home. Then, Conor Geekie accelerated into the Wheat Kings zone on the power play and found Hvidston back door for the tying goal.

As the Wheat Kings had done to them, the Broncos got a pretty goal late to take the lead on Brandon. Former Wheat King Zach Turner broke in with a slick move and snapped home his third of the season to make it 4-3.

Any hope of a Wheat Kings comeback was snuffed out in the third as the Broncos rattled off three straight pretty goals, with Conor Geekie factoring in on two of them.

The homestand continues for the Wheat Kings as they host the Prince Albert Raiders on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop is 2:00.

Check out the Brandon Wheat Kings Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Western Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central