Brandon Wheat Kings this week –
The Wheat Kings returned home Monday morning from a 4-game in five night Western Hockey League road trip that saw Brandon run the table and become the first team to punch their tickets to post-season play.
The Wheat Kings, who currently lead the WHL’s Eastern Conference with an impressive 41-9-3-2 record, left Brandon last week with a six point lead on second place Medicine Hat in the Eastern Conference but thanks to a win over the Tigers, back to back wins in Cranbrook and a blowout victory in Lethbridge, they now have a healthy fourteen point lead with seventeen regular season games to play.
Not only has Brandon won six straight games – which equals a season high for the Wheat Kings – they’re 12-0-0-1 in their last thirteen.
Brandon now returns home to play back to back games at Westman Place this coming weekend, including Spokane’s first visit in over two years.
THIS WEEK’S RESULTS:
Wednesday, February 4th – Wheat Kings 6 Medicine Hat Tigers 3
Latvian left-winger Rihards Bukarts scored once and set up two others to lead Brandon to the win against the second place Tigers. Tim McGauley, Morgan Klimchuk and Nolan Patrick each had a goal and an assist for the Wheat Kings
Friday, Feburary 6th – Wheat Kings 5 Kootenay Ice 3
The Wheat Kings scored four third period goals, including three in a span of 3:33 to score the come from behind win. Defenceman Eric Roy was inserted on right wing in the third and wound up scoring once and setting up another and was named the game’s first star
Saturday, February 7th Wheat Kings 4 Kootenay Ice 1
Netminder Jordan Papirny made 31 saves as the Wheat Kings completed the weekend series sweep. Brandon built up a 3-0 third period lead en route to the win.
Sunday, February 8th Wheat Kings 7 Lethbridge 2
Rihards Bukarts scored twice as Brandon jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead and cruised to the win. The Wheat Kings fired a season high 55 shots on the Lethbridge net.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
Friday, February 13th – Spokane Chiefs @ Brandon – 7:30pm
Presented by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries
Sunday, February 15th – Prince Albert Raiders @ Brandon – 4:00pm
THIS WEEK’S PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, February 10th – 1:45pm Kinsmen/Optimist Arena
Wednesday, February 11th – 1:45pm Westman Place
Thursday, February 12th – 1:45pm Westman Place
Saturday, February 14th – 11am Westman Place
THIS WEEK’S PLAYER APPEARANCES:
Tuesday, February 10th – CIBC Read to Succeed visit to Souris
Thursday, February 12th – CIBC Read to Succeed visit to Strathclair
Thursday, February 12th – MPI/Brandon Sun School Patrol Luncheon at St. Augustines School
Saturday, February 14th – Tournament of Champions Pancake Breakfast at Keystone Centre’s MNP Convention Hall
16-YEAR OLD ROOKIE WINS IMPACT MONTHLY AWARD:
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, in association with the Brandon Wheat Kings announced this past week that a 16-year old rookie has been chosen the Western Hockey League club’s IMPACT Player of the Month for January. Brandon’s first pick and fourth overall selection in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, Winnipeg’s Nolan Patrick finished second in team scoring last month with fifteen points, including a club leading nine goals.
The 6’3” 192 lb Patrick was instrumental in leading Brandon to an impressive 10-2-0-1 record and first place in the Eastern Conference. Patrick joins Rihards Bukarts, Tim McGauley and Jordan Papirny as winners of this year’s monthly honour. A presentation will be made at this Friday’s game vs. Spokane.
Meanwhile Killarney’s Reid Gow and 17-year old Braylon Shmyr have been chosen the Wheat Kings Ryobi Hardest Working Defenceman and Forward for the month of January. Both Gow and Shymr will be recognized during this Sunday’s game vs Prince Albert
MANITOBA BLUE CROSS 3-STAR STANDINGS:
2014-15 3 STAR STANDINGS:
1. Tim McGauley 44 pts
2. Ivan Provorov 42 pts
3. Jordan Papirny 41 pts
4. Rihards Bukarts 32 pts
4. Reid Duke 29 pts
6. Nolan Patrick 22 pts
7. Jayce Hawryluk 18 pts
8. John Quenneville 13 pts
9. Ryan Pilon 12 pts
9. Peter Quenneville 12 pts
BRANDON BITS:
What made this weekend’s clean sweep on the road more impressive was the fact that Brandon had to do it without all star forwards Jayce Hawryluk and John Quenneville. Both have been out the past week with upper body injurie s… Meanwhile Russian blueliner Ivan Provorov went down during Saturday’s win over the Ice and rookie defenceman Kale Clague was injured in Sunday’s game in Lethbridge … Provorov currently leads all WHL rookies and defencemen in scoring with 12 goals and 51 assists this season … Nolan Patrick meanwhile is second with 47 points, including a league leading 25 goals … Netminder Jordan Papirny leads all goalkeepers with 34 wins … Tim McGauley is currently tied with Kelowna’s Nick Merkley for third place in the WHL scoring race with 73 points, including 34 goals. His eight game winning goals are tied for second in the league… Macoy Erkamps played in his 250th career game over the weekend while two others – Reid Gow and Morgan Klimchuk enter the week six games shy of 250 … Veteran Eric Roy meanwhile has played in 305, which is good for 7th place on the club’s all time lis t… Erkamps and Braylon Shmyr have been chosen the Wheat Kings RYOBI Hardest Working Players of the Month for January. A presentation to both players will be made at Sunday’s game against Prince Albert.
Courtesy of BrandonWheatKings.com
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