Kruger, Ritchie Lead BWK to Win Over Raiders
Brandon, MB – The Brandon Wheat Kings snapped a six-game losing streak on Friday night, in front of 3,100 fans at Westoba Place.
Nolan Ritchie (2G-2A) carried the mail for Brandon, while Ethan Kruger stopped 34 shots en route to a 5-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders.
Jake Chiasson scored just thirteen seconds into the hockey game and the Wheat Kings never looked back.
“Unreal start for us tonight,” said Nate Danielson. “That goal really lifted the bench. We took that and rolled with it. Things haven’t been going right for us lately so to get some positives early and get the crowd into it, really swung the momentum for us.”
Danielson, who made his return to the lineup for the first time since March 2nd finished the night with two assists. Riley Ginnell (1G-2A) and Jake Chiasson (1G-1A) also recorded multi-point nights as the Brandon offense came to life after a shutout vs Winnipeg last weekend.
The game had a certain “playoff” feel to it, with multiple post-whistle scrums and a couple of fighting majors handed out along the way.
“We’re trying to get these guys thinking playoff hockey,” said Assistant Coach Mark Derlago. “We want these guys to play the right way. You don’t want to limp into the playoffs. We want to be at our best when the time comes, and this was a step in the right direction.”
The Wheat Kings will now head out on the road for four straight, including two-more vs the Raiders at the Art Hauser Centre next week. Westoba Place will undergo a makeover this weekend as the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair moves into town.
“We need a quick regroup here, But we have to enjoy this tonight as well,” added Derlago. “We lost six in a row coming into today, so you don’t want to get caught up in the negativity. This was a big win for us and we want to use it and carry the momentum into tomorrow.”
You can catch the game on Bounce 96.1 and the iHeartRadio app starting with the pre-game show at 7:45. Puck drop at the Brandt Centre is 8:00 MB time.
