LATE GOAL SINKS WHEAT KINGS
Calgary, AB — Third period special teams were the difference Sunday afternoon as the Brandon Wheat Kings closed out their 3-game Alberta road trip with a 4-3 loss to the Hitmen in Calgary.
After scoring a shorthanded goal midway through the final period to even the score at three, Brady Brassart’s powerplay goal with 1:50 remaining in regulation time gave the Hitmen the win as they improved their record to 17-13-1-1 on the season.
While it was two special teams goals that turned the game in the third period, Brandon’s powerplay – without Mark Stone and Michael Ferland – came up dry throughout the night, finishing the game 0 for 5.
“I thought we had some opportunities to take advantage of the game on our power-play, different things like that, and didn’t capitalize,” Brandon assistant coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk told Bruce Luebke on CKLQ’s post-game show, “Give Calgary credit, they had an opportunity to score a goal on the power-play late in the game and they did.”
Alessio Bertaggia had two goals and an assist for Brandon while Dominick Favreau rounded out the scoring for the Wheat Kings, who were outshot for the third straight game on this trip to the tune of 41-25, including 18-7 in the final frame.
During Brandon’s 3-game trip to Alberta, the Wheat Kings surrendered a total of 127 shots.
Veteran netminder Brandon Anderson was solid between the pipes, turning aside 37 shots.
With the loss, Brandon’s record slipped to 19-13-1-1. The Wheat Kings remain one point behind second place Saskatoon and four back of the Eastern Division leading Moose Jaw Warriors.
Sunday’s game was the Wheat Kings first since the departure of Stone and Ferland to the National Junior Selecton Camp. Team Canada’s 22-man final roster is expected to be announced later this week in Calgary. Bertaggia meanwhile will attend the Swiss U20 Tryout Camp in Red Deer this coming weekend.
Losers of seven of their last 11 games, the Wheat Kings will return home now to close out their pre-Christmas schedule with games on Tuesday and Friday nights against Kelowna and Kamloops. Tuesday’s game is RAIN CHECK Night, which means any unused ticket can be exchanged at the box office for a “free” ticket to this game (regular Ticketmaster agency fees apply).
