WHEAT KINGS SCORE BIG WIN IN RED DEER

Red Deer, AB — The Brandon Wheat Kings return home Sunday having finished this week’s 4-game Western Hockey League road trip with a 2-2-0 record.

After opening up the 4-game in five night excursion with a 1-0 victory over the defending champion Kootenay Ice on Tuesday, the Wheat Kings dropped back to back decisions in Calgary and Edmonton, before scoring a 3-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday night.

Saturday’s win moved Brandon four points up on the Rebels in the battle for the eighth and final playoff berth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Red Deer does enjoy three games in hand with less than two months remaining in the 2011-12 regular season.

Corbin Boes picked up his first win in almost two months, stopping 39 shots including 23 of 24 through the final forty minutes of play as the Rebels outshot the visitors 24-13.

“That’s what you have to have at this time of the year,” Brandon assistant coach Darren Ritchie told Bruce Luebke on CKLQ’s post-game show, “You have to have guys blocking shots, you going to need some good goaltending the stretch and Corbin was real good.”

Defenceman Ryan Pulock and captain Mark Stone had a goal and an assist each for the winners, while Michael Ferland rounded out the Brandon scoring with what turned out to be the game winner in the second period.

Turner Elson scored both goals in a losing cause for the Rebels, who outshot Brandon 41-24 on the night.

With the win, the Wheat Kings improved their record to 25-24-1-2 on the season. Their next action is Friday night when they play host to the Lethbridge Hurricanes at Westman Place.