ITS GAME DAY: WHEAT KINGS VS RAIDERS
Moose Jaw, SK. — The Brandon Wheat Kings completed a critical home and home weekend series sweep of the Warriors Saturday night with a come from behind 4-2 victory in Moose Jaw.
The Wheat Kings, who will be hoping to make it three wins in as many nights when they close out their pre-Christmas schedule Sunday night against the Raiders in Prince Albert, scored three unanswered third period goals to get the win and to move to within a single point of the fourth place Warriors in the Western Hockey League’s Eastern Division.
Minnedosa product Chad Robinson scored twice for the Wheat Kings, who opened up the weekend by doubling up the Warriors 4-2 on Friday night in Brandon. Taylor Cooper’s first goal since the club’s Home Opener in September, turned out to be the game winner as Brandon won back to back games for the first time since late September.
Veteran Jens Meilleur rounded out the scoring for the Wheat Kings, who improved to 13-18-2-2 on the season.
“We’ve been really stressing about getting to the net and getting second chances and not having one and dones,” Brandon assistant coach Darren Ritchie told Bruce Luebke on CKLQ’s post-game show. “Lately, we’ve been doing a better job of getting second chances.”
As for tonight’s game against the Raiders, the Wheat Kings will be looking to bounce back from back to back losses to Prince Albert last month.
Despite being 0-2 against the Raiders this season, Brandon will be facing a team that has lost four of its last five games including a Shootout loss to the visiting Kootenay Ice on Friday.
Thanks to a strong start led by the likes of netminder Luke Siemens and Chicago Blackhawks first round draft choice Mark McNeill, the Raiders continue to lead the WHL’s Eastern Division with a record of 21-11-0-3.
A former member of the Moose Jaw Warriors, the 20-year old Siemens is among the league leaders in appearances (32), wins (20), goals against average (2.61) and save percentage (.912). McNeill meanwhile leads the team in scoring with thirteen goals and 39 points in 34 games.
McNeill, who recently attended the National Junior Selection Camp in Calgary in preparation for the World Junior Hockey Championship, has two goals and three points in two starts against Brandon this season, one point fewer than former Wheat King Dakota Conroy. A former third round draft choice of the Wheat Kings, who was dealt to Victoria last January in the Kevin Sundher deal, Conroy had four points in last month’s 2-game series sweep. Defenceman Eric Roy, who is a former member of the Prince Albert AAA Midget Mintos, is 1-1-2 to lead Brandon in the first two games of the season series.
After winning back to back games this weekend against the Warriors, it will be interesting to see whether Brandon head coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk goes back to 18-year old goalkeeper Curtis Honey for Sunday night’s contest. In fourteen appearances this season, the Edmonton native has compiled a 3.41 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
Sunday’s game, which will be the Wheat Kings final game until December 28th when they host Moose Jaw at Westman Place, is a 7pm CST start. The pre-game show on 880 CKLQ will get underway at 6:30pm.
Tickets to Brandon’s next home game go back on sale Monday morning at the Keystone Centre box office. Fans can also order online at keystonecentre.com or by calling 726-3555. And speaking of tickets, if you are looking for a great Christmas gift for the hockey fan in your family why not stop by the Wheat Kings office for more information on this year’s 7-game and 4-game Holiday gift packs.
