WARRIORS CLIMB BACK IN SERIES
Moose Jaw, SK. – The Brandon Wheat Kings 6-game playoff win streak came to an abrupt halt Tuesday night in Moose Jaw.
Jayden Halbgewachs scored three times as the hometown Warriors beat the Wheat Kings 7-1, handing Brandon its first setback on the road this playoff season.
Despite the lopsided loss, Brandon still leads the best of seven Western Hockey League Eastern Conference Semi-Final series two games to one, with game four scheduled for Wednesday night.
Tuesday’s game was scoreless midway through the second period when the Warriors came alive, scoring four times in a span of just over six minutes and never looked back.
“Then they got the power-play goal to make it 2-0, and if you look at the second period, they got four goals in a span of just over six minutes,” Brandon GM/Coach Kelly McCrimmon told Bruce Luebke on CKLQ’s post-game show. “There’s not a plan that works that includes giving up goals in bunches like we did during the second period.”
Tim McGauley scored in a losing cause for the Wheat Kings, who opened the series with back to back wins on home ice last weekend.
Brayden Point, Brett Howden, Nikita Popugaev and Tanner Jeannot rounded out the scoring for the Warriors, who were outscored 10-5 in Brandon last weekend.
Zach Sawchenko bounced back from a sub-par performance in game two, by stopping 34 of 35 Brandon shots on the night while Jordan Papirny made 24 saves in the Brandon goal.
Moose Jaw’s win means that no matter what happens Wednesday night, this series is returning to Brandon’s Westman Communications Group Place.
Tickets to game five, scheduled for Friday night will go on sale at the Keystone Centre box office at 11am Wednesday. Western Manitoba hockey fans can also order online at keystonecentre.com or by calling 726-3555.
Wheat Kings’ Playoff hockey is a presentation of Precision Toyota, The Brnadon Sun, Montana’s Barbecue and Bar and Sunrise Credit Union.
