WHEAT KINGS HOST TIGERS IN GAME 3 TONIGHT
Dauphin, MB. – The Brandon Wheat Kings will be hoping that a change of scenery swings the momentum tonight in Dauphin as Credit Union Place plays host to game three of their Western Hockey League Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers.
As is the case in most best of seven series, game three will be pivotal for both clubs, who have been forced to play in Dauphin this week due to the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair occupying Brandon’s Keystone Centre.
A Tigers victory tonight and they will grab a commanding 3-0 series lead.
However, a Brandon win and the Wheat Kings will be in a position to even the series at two wins each when they take to the ice for game four on Wednesday.
Needless to say, the defending champion Wheat Kings will be hoping to build on a strong third period in game two when they rallied from three goals down before an empty netter clinched a 5-3 Tiger win.
“There’s definitely some positives from game two,” says head coach David Anning. “I thought we kept pushing and I thought we were a lot better in the second half of the game…and that’s what we needed.”
“What we need (tonight) is a complete game if we’re going to get the win and get back in this series.”
The Wheat Kings, who lost their first two playoff games to Edmonton last year before storming back with four straight to beat the Oil Kings on their way to their first league championship since 1996, got some good news on Monday when veteran netminder Logan Thompson was back on the ice.
“The ice (in Dauphin) is good,” an excited Thompson told the Brandon Sun’s Perry Bergson after practice. “I feel like it’s going to be a great atmosphere in here, being a little bit smaller. It should be a loud crowd, and we’re excited to get things going.”
While Thompson, who was hurt during the third period of Saturday’s game, was a welcome sight between the pipes on Monday, captain Nolan Patrick was still missing. The 18-year old Winnipegger, who was hurt during the final weekend of regular season play in a game against Regina, has missed the first two games and is currently listed as day to day with a lower body injury.
Without Patrick, who was last year’s WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player, the pressure mounts on a club that must find a way to stay out of the penalty box. The Tigers have scored on five of 14 powerplays in this series and Brandon’s coach says the club’s penalty problems have been addressed.
“They have a dangerous powerplay and we have to make sure that they earn their opportunities,” he told the Sun. “We can’t be taking as many penalties as we have. We have to do a better job…some of those penalties are just careless plays with the puck and are unnecessary.”
As for the Tigers, coach Shaun Clouston looks forward to what should be a big test for his club.
“You have to get prepared for each and every game,” Clouston told the Sun. “There is still lots to play. I think the starts are always important. We don’t know exactly what to expect in this building or from the crowd, but we just try to get ourselves ready to play the way we need to at the start of the game.”
Tickets to both Dauphin games are going fast. However, there are tickets remaining for both and can be purchased at the Credit Union Place box office until 3pm today and then from 4-7:30pm The box office will reopen at 10am Wednesday morning. Game time tonight is 7:30pm, with doors scheduled to open at 6:30pm.
This week’s games are a presentation of Catalyst Credit Union, Aspen Insurance and Twin Motors.
Credit Union Place in Dauphin is home to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Kings.
