WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheaties playoff preparations continue

Published on March 21, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Brandon, Manitoba - The Western Hockey League's Eastern Division pennant winning Brandon Wheat Kings continued preparations for their best of seven opening round playoff series with the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday.

Fresh off their second division title in three years and their fourth in the past six seasons, the Wheat Kings and Raiders are no strangers to one another when it comes to the WHL playoffs.

This year marks the sixth time and third in the past four years that Brandon and Prince Albert have faced off against one another in post-season play. After upsetting the second place Raiders four games to two in the first round of the 2004 playoffs, the Wheat Kings defeated Prince Albert in the seventh and deciding game of the 2005 Eastern Conference Championship Final.

After losing the first playoff series between the two back in 1988, the Wheat Kings have won four straight. In addition to their recent success, Brandon defeated the Raiders in back to back Conference Finals in 1995 and '96.

During the 2006-07 regular season, Brandon won five of 8 games with the Raiders including all four at the Keystone Centre. Dustin Kohn, Daryl Boyle, Codey Burki and Mark Derlago led the Wheat Kings with 11 points each while veteran netminder Tyler Plante compiled a 4-1-0 record and a 2.60 goals against average in five appearances against the Raiders.

Brandon enters the series riding a 12-1-1-1 record over the course of their last fifteen games and have won ten straight games on home ice. In fact, during the regular season the Wheat Kings compiled an impressive 27-4-1-4 record at the Keystone Centre, en route to an overall record of 41-2-0-3-8 mark - good for third place in the Eastern Conference.

The Raiders meanwhile won three of their last 15 games and finished the year with an overall record of 27-39-3-3. On the road, Prince Albert won nine of 36 games (9-24-0-3).

For the second straight season, Codey Burki led the Wheat Kings in scoring with 85 points including 36 goals - both career highs - finishing fifth in the WHL scoring race. Captain Mark Derlago was tenth in the League with 81 points including a league leading 46 goals. Former Portland Winter Hawk Rob Klinkhammer was 17th, finishing with 33 goals and 73 points.

As for the Raiders, veteran Matt Robertson led Prince Albert in scoring this past season with 37 goals and 64 points, followed by Ryan DePape and Brandon native Mike Hellyer with 56 and 52 respectively.

As for Special Teams, Brandon's powerplay finished second in the WHL at 21.2% this season, while killing off 82.3% of its penalties. The Raiders' powerplay was 15.3% efficient while their penalty killing was 78.5% successful.

Brandon will host games one and two of the best of seven series this Friday and Saturday nights, before the series shifts to Prince Albert for games three, four and five. Should a sixth and seventh game be necessary, they would be played Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3rd and 4th in the Keystone Centre.

Fans attending Friday night's game will receive a "free" spaghetti dinner coupon from Pizza Place as well as a complimentary "Cold Suck" coupon from Husky.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, less than 2,200 tickets each had been sold for games one and two. Tickets are on sale now at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca As well, the hockey club has announced that Special Group Discounts will be in effect for this weekend's games. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Rick Dillabough or Drew Clayton at 726-3535.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 21, 2007


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