WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Return Home In Style With Win Over Warriors

Published on October 27, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


A road trip full of ups and downs at last led the Wheat Kings back to home ice on Thursday, October 26 against the Moose Jaw Warriors. They made the most of their return to Manitoba, and their top players led the way.

Brett Hyland scored twice, while Roger McQueen and Nate Danielson buried one apiece as the Wheat Kings edged the Warriors 4-3. Carson Bjarnason was strong once again with 31 saves. Moose Jaw got goals from Jagger Firkus, Brayden Yager, and Martin Rysavy.

"I thought we were a little vanilla in the first two periods, and a big goal by Hyland there in the second tied it up," said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. "Good leadership by Nate in the first shift of the third to get us the goal. I thought we had a strong third period."

It was Moose Jaw's big guns who started hot, as Firkus finished off a three-way passing play with a one-timer on the power play to make it 1-0. But Danielson helped provide the response, feeding McQueen at the side of the net on the only Wheat King power play of the night to tie the score.

After Brayden Yager put Moose Jaw up 1-0 on a breakaway of his own making, the Warriors pressed furiously. Despite that, Bjarnason held the Wheat Kings in it and Hyland tied the score, dangling his way over the blue line and attacking the Moose Jaw net with speed before sniping home the tying tally.

Danielson led the team out of the gate into the third with authority. He worked the puck around the offensive zone, missed his shot but kept on driving the net, then collected a rebound of a shot by Quinn Mantei to put the team up 3-2.

"It was really good to come back after the long road trip and get a win, especially against that team," Danielson said. "They have a really good team over there so it felt really good."

The win wasn't secured until Hyland and Dominik Petr worked a give-and-go in front of the Moose Jaw net, with Hyland finishing it off. That goal proved important, as Moose Jaw would get within one on Rysavy's late powerplay goal. That, however, came with just 12.9 seconds to go, and the Wheat Kings were able to kill what time remained for the win.

Though they remain on home ice, the schedule gets no easier for the Wheat Kings as they welcome the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday night.

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