Johnson’s Natural Hat Trick Leads Wheat Kings In Regina
For the second night in a row, the Brandon Wheat Kings got a natural hat trick, played a strong third period, and held their opponent to 25 shots. After last night’s home opening win, they put together this effort on the road.
Nicholas Johnson picked up a hat trick, and Nolan Flamand and Easton Odut provided singles as the Wheat Kings downed the Pats 5-1 in their home opener. Ethan Eskit stopped 24 of 25 shots in his second straight win.
The scoring started with a storybook goal for the three former Brandon AAA Wheat Kings. Off a faceoff, Jaxon Jacobson won the puck forward, and Brady Turko chopped it to the front of the net. Out of the scramble, Odut found himself alone and made no mistake to make it 1-0.
After a Pat took a run at Eskit long after his shot had been smothered, the Wheat Kings were keen to make the Pats pay on the power play. Thanks to Johnson, they did, as Roger McQueen slung the puck across to him at the right circle with plenty of room to walk in and pick his spot, which Johnson did.
Johnson was back at it again in the third, first taking a pass off the rush from Flamand and snapping home his second. Then, after McQueen’s one-timer rang iron, Johnson was right there for the rebound to stuff home his hat trick.
Regina was able to answer with a power play goal of their own. Moments after the Wheat Kings missed a shorthanded breakaway, the Pats came back and snapped one home off the rush, with Tye Spencer providing the shot.
But the Wheat Kings didn’t the Pats build any momentum from it. Dylan Ronald took the shot that Matteo Michels tipped and although Ewan Huet made the save, Flamand was ready and waiting to pounce on the rebound.
The game devolved into nastiness late in the third, but the score stayed fixed at 5-1. Eskit stood his ground late and the Wheat Kings skated away with the win
The Wheat Kings are now 2-0 on the young season. Next up is a short swing through Saskatchewan with stops in Prince Albert next Friday and Saskatoon the following night.
