WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Look to Clinch Playoff Berth

February 26, 2020 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Swift Current, SK. - The Brandon Wheat Kings have their sights set on returning to the Western Hockey League playoffs.

One year after missing post season play for the first time in six years, the Wheat Kings are on the verge of a playoff invitation.

A victory over the Broncos in Swift Current tonight will give Brandon a record of 32-21-4-2 and with 70 points they will clinch a playoff berth for the Wheat Kings, who entered the 2019-20 season having qualified for post season play in seventeen of the past 19 years. A win would also give the Wheat Kings 70 points, matching last year's total when they compiled a 31-29-4-4 record en route to a fourth place finish in the WHL's Eastern Division.

Despite missing the playoffs a year ago, the Wheat Kings have managed to compile winning records in fourteen of the past 15 seasons.

The only time that they failed to post at least a .500 record during that span was in 2012-13 when they went 24-40-4-4.

Tonight's game is the second of five consecutive road games for the Wheat Kings, who opened up the stretch by dropping an overtime decision in Regina on Sunday night.

Following tonight's game, the Wheat Kings will close out the month of February with weekend games in Calgary and Lethbridge on Friday and Saturday nights respectively.

Brandon will then return home before meeting Prince Albert in a weekend eries to open up the month of March next weekend.

The Wheat Kings go into tonight's game sitting in third place in the Eastern Division, one point back of the second place Winnipeg ICE and three points up on the fourth place Saskatoon Blades in the Eastern Division.

Leading the Wheat Kings in recent weeks have been forwards Ben McCartney and Luka Burzan as well as defenceman Braden Schneider.

While McCartney leads the club in scoring with 23 goals and 58 points, Burzan is one point back with 57 points, including a team leading 33 goals. Schneider meanwhile leads Brandon in the month of February with two goals and ten points and enters the game against the Broncos having scored a goal and five points in his last three games.

Tonight's game will be the fourth and final one between these two teams this season. Brandon has won the first three so far and the Broncos enter the game having lost eleven in a row.

Following this stretch of five straight road games, the Wheat Kings will play five of their final six games on home ice, including four in the final eight days of the regular season.

The WHL playoffs are scheduled to begin the final weekend of March.

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2020


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