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WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Set to Host Giants, Oil Kings

October 3, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Brandon, MB. - The Brandon Wheat Kings will certainly have their hands full this weekend when they play host to a pair of top ranked Canadian Hockey League clubs at Westoba Place.

The tenth ranked Vancouver Giants will be in town on Friday, followed by the ninth ranked Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday night.

After splitting their season opening home and home series with the Winnipeg Ice, the Wheat Kings dropped back to back games to the Moose Jaw Warriors last weekend.

While Brandon welcomed back veteran Ben McCartney to the lineup in last Saturday's 3-2 loss in Moose Jaw, the Wheat Kings will have 17-year old center Ridly Greig back on the ice this weekend after he was slapped with a 3-game suspension for his hit on Winnipeg's Chase Hartje in the opening minute of last month's Home Opener.

"We have a key guy coming back in Ridly and say what you want, but when you take those guys out of your lineup, they're big pieces," says Brandon coach Dave Lowry. "We're going to go with our best lineup from here on in."

A former first round bantam draft choice of the Wheat Kings, Greig scored fourteen goals and 35 points in 63 regular season games last season. During the summer he was a key member of the Canadian team that finished second at the Hlinka - Gretzky Memorial Tournament overseas. He's also a former Alberta Bantam and Midget AAA Champion.

Friday's opponent - the Giants are defending Western Conference Champions and wound up losing to the Prince Albert Raiders in the seventh and deciding game of last year's WHL Championship Final.

Vancouver general manager Barclay Parneta says his club seems poised to take another run this season.

"We've just got to be humble and hungry," says Parneta. "Nothing is given...we've got to go out (this year) and perform. This year teams will know what to expect from us. They'll be more prepared to play us."

"We're on a mission and we just want to be relentless," he added.

A Wheat King scoring star from the eighties will be recognized by the WHL club during Friday night's game.

Mather, Manitoba's Terry Yake played from 1984 to 1988 in Brandon, scoring 296 points, including 126 goals during his 4-year Western League career. A member of the hockey club's All Time Top 50 Team, he was chosen by Hartford in the 1987 National Hockey League Entry Draft and went on to play ten seasons in the big leagues with the Whalers, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues.

Yake will be one of five former Wheat Kings scheduled to be inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in Winnipeg on Saturday night, joining Bob Fitchner, Trevor Kidd, Marty Murray and Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon.

Tickets to Friday night's game against the Giants, presented by Super Thrifty Drugs as well as Saturday's tilt with the Oil Kings are on sale now at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling (204) 726-3555 or online at keystonecentre.com.

Saturday's game will feature Willie's Birthday Bash, with lots of fun for the entire family. In addition to special kids' meals available at the concessions on Saturday, there will be a number of inflatables set up on the main concourse, several mascots will be on hand to help Willie celebrate his big day as well as $5 children's tickets at the box office. As an added bonus, for each child ticket purchased at the Keystone Centre box office, fans will receive a McDonalds Happy Meal voucher.

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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.

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