WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheaties set to face Russians

Published on November 29, 2006 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Chilliwack, B.C. -- The latest chapter of the Canadian Hockey League's ADT Canada Russia Challenge begins in Chilliwack, B.C. tonight with Team Western Hockey League looking to continue its dominance of this International series.

Entering the 2-game series against the WHL, which concludes Thursday night with a game in Kamloops, the Russians have dropped ten straight games to their CHL counterparts, compiling a 4-18 record during the first four years of this event.

After failing to end a representative to last year's 2-game series, the Weat Kings will be well represented this season, sending three players to B.C. Defenceman Dustin Kohn and centers Andrew Clark and Codey Burki will be in the lineup for Wednesday's series opener, however, with the Wheat Kings scheduled to play three games in three nights and four in five, beginning on Friday night against Red Deer, they won't be in the lineup on Thursday.

For Kohn, a second round draft choice of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, he knows that he won't lock up a spot on the Canadian junior team this week, but a strong performance on Wednesday certainly can't hurt his cause.

"It's obviously just a one-game thing, but it's very important to put a good foot forward there and leave a good impression with the Hockey Canada scouts, because they are all going to be there watching," the former Calgary Hitmen told James Shewaga of the Brandon Sun earlier this week. "So it's definitely not going to hurt to have a good game there."

Kohn is a strong candidate to crack head coach Craig Hartsburg's National team lineup after being invited to the final selection camp as an 18-year old last winter. Entering this week's play, the 19-year old Edmonton product was sitting in fifth place in scoring among WHL defencemen with two goals and 26 points in 24 games with a team leading +11 plus / minus ranking.

A second round draft choice of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, Burki is currently sitting in second place in the WHL scoring race with 42 points including nineteen goals. A former first round bantam draft choice of the Wheat Kings, the Winnipeg native trails Red Deer's Martin Hanzal by two points.

An undrafted local product, Clark was ranked 19th among draft-eligible WHL skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's preliminary rankings. In 28 games this season, the former Neepawa Native has eleven goals and 25 points, good for fifth place in team scoring behind the likes of Burki, Kohn, Juraj Simek and Mark Derlago.

At home, the Wheat Kings continue to prepare for this weekend's 3-game in three night stretch that will kick off Friday night with a critical Eastern Conference battle with Brent Sutter's Rebels. Brandon currently leads the Eastern Division standings with a 16-10-0-2 record, thanks to a season high 5-game winning streak. However, when it comes to the Conference, the Wheat Kings trail fourth place Red Deer by one point. Following Friday's game, Brandon will hit the road for games Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday nights in Swift Current, Medicine Hat and Moose Jaw respectively.

Tickets to Friday's game - Westoba Credit Union Kids Loonie Scramble Night at the Keystone Centre - are on sale now at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca. Eight lucky fans (12 and under) will scramble their way to $500 in cold, hard loonies during the second intermission of Friday's game.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2006


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