WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings to host Pats Friday

September 21, 2005 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


The WHEAT KINGS will be hoping to kick off their 2005-2006 Western Hockey League season on a positive note Friday night when they play host to the visiting REGINA PATS in the first of a weekend home and home series between these two clubs.BRANDON travels to REGINA on Saturday.BRANDON is coming off an outstanding 2004-05 campaign - a season that saw the WHEAT KINGS capture their third WHL Eastern Division pennant in the past four years - compiling an impressive 45-21-5-1 record, good for 96 points.In the playoffs, the WHEAT KINGS won three playoff series including exciting back to back 7-game affairs against both CALGARY and PRINCE ALBERT.By defeating the RAIDERS, the WHEAT KINGS managed to clinch their first Eastern Conference Championship since 1998.Among the five players missing from last year's club are defenceman STEVEN LATER and forwards LANCE MONYCH, TIM KONSORADA, RYAN STONE and last year's WHL Player of the Year ERIC FEHR.Entering tonight's game, the WHEAT KINGS, who lost 5-3 to REGINA in last year's regular season finale, currently have 27 players on their roster including eight WHL rookies.BRANDON is 9-2-0 in its last eleven home openers - ten of which have come against the PATS.

PRE-SEASON REVISITED: For the second straight year, the WHEAT KINGS posted a 1-3-0 record in four pre-season games this month.BRANDONS only win came against the SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS (5-2 on September 16th).During the four games, the WHEATS were outscored 12-10.MARK DERLAGO led BRANDON in pre-season scoring with one goal and three points in four games.Both TYLER DITTMER and CODEY BURKI scored two goals each.In his only pre-season appearance, netminder TYLER PLANTE stopped 35 of 37 shots in leading the WHEAT KINGS to last week's win over SWIFT CURRENT.

DERLAGO RETURNS TO LINEUP: 19-year old left-winger MARK DERLAGO plays his first regular season game in over a year tonight, after missing the entire 2004-05 campaign. The former Manitoba AAA Midget League Scoring Champion sustained a season ending neck injury during the club's final pre-season game last year.Winner of the CKX TV Rookie of the Year Trophy in 2003-04, DERLAGO was 8-20-28 in 65 games during his rookie year.

WHEAT KING INJURIES: Defenceman MARK LOUIS (concussion) and left-winger TYLER STRAUTMAN (shoulder) are both listed as day to day.

MILESTONES: Veteran TEEGAN MOORE enters the season, needing four games to reach the 200-game plateau in his WHL career.Newly acquired LUKE HEWITT is thirty minutes shy of 500 penalty minutes. He is also ten games shy of the 200-game plateau.

BRANDON BITS: BRANDON was a 6-3 loser to REGINA in pre-season play last weekend.WHEAT KINGS currently have nine local products on this year's roster including two former members of the MJHL's NEEPAWA NATIVES - KURT JORY and ANDREW CLARK.CLARK is one of four who played on 2004 NATIONAL MIDGET CHAMPIONS.Former captain TIM KONSORADA will perform tonight's ceremonial opening face-off while AMANDA STOTT will perform the national anthem.

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