WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Win Series

Published on March 30, 2012 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Winnipeg, MB. -- The Brandon Wheat Kings have advanced to the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

Paul Ciarelli scored twice, including the winner at the 8:26 mark of overtime to give the Wheat Kings a come from behind 3-2 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen before just over 4,000 fans at Winnipeg's MTS Centre Thursday night.

With the victory, the Wheat Kings won the best of seven opening round playoff series four games to one and it marked their first playoff series victory over Calgary since 2005. Excluding the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup sudden death semi-final, the Hitmen had won three straight playoff series against Brandon.

Ciarelli's game winner came after a number of great saves by Brandon netminder Corbin Boes in overtime. The 19-year old Saskatoon product stopped 42 shots on the night, including eight in overtime as the Hitmen did everything in an effort to extend the series to a sixth game Sunday afternoon in Calgary.

Ciarelli's initial shot beat Hitmen goalkeeper Brandon Glover but was quickly waved off by the officials..so the play continued and the puck spilled back into the crease where left-winger Darian Dziurzynski scooped it up and banged it home for what appeared to be the deciding goal. Video replays, however, clearly showed that the first shot - by Ciarelli - was in fact the game winner.

For the 20-year old Winnipeg product, who has played all four of his WHL seasons in Brandon, Thursday's two goals were the first of this year's playoffs and only the fourth and fifth of his playoff career.

Following a scoreless opening period in game five, the Wheat Kings got on the board in the opening minute of the second period when Alessio Bertaggia scored his third goal of the series.

The score stayed that way until early in the third when the Hitmen got goals from Alex Gogolev and Chase Clayton 33 seconds apart, to grab a lead for the first time since blanking the Wheat Kings 4-0 in game two.

Ciarelli's first goal evened the score at two at the 4:14 mark and set the stage for a wild third period when both teams combined for 29 shots on goal and featured some excellent netminding at both ends of the rink.

Brandon now joins Medicine Hat and Edmonton as teams that have advanced to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The Tigers swept the Saskatoon Blades while the Oil Kings completed a four game sweep of the defending WHL Champion Kootenay Ice with a 3-1 victory on Thursday. The only Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series that needs to be decided is between Moose Jaw and Regina. The Warriors currently lead that best of seven series three games to one.

Should Moose Jaw win the series, Brandon will meet the Oil Kings in round two. However, should the Pats rally to take their opening round series in the seventh and deciding game, the Wheat Kings will face off against the Tigers.

The Eastern Conference semi-finals are scheduled to begin next week.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 30, 2012


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