The Brandon Wheat Kings closed out 2019 with a pair of games against Saskatchewan teams and they’re heading into 2020 on a high note.
Four different Wheat Kings scored on Monday evening as the team dispatched the lowly Regina Pats 4-1 inside a packed house at Westoba Place.
On Tuesday night, the team hit the road for a short trip to Moose Jaw. Luka Burzan led the way with two markers as Brandon got past the Warriors 3-1.
With 2020 now upon us, Happy New Year and let’s take a look at both games.
Vs Pats:
It was a game full of power-play opportunities, but neither Regina nor Brandon could do anything on the man advantage.
It was also a game in which Jiri Patera showed off his best stuff. In the first period, Patera made nine saves and held Regina off the scoreboard.
Ben McCartney helped the cause offensively. He scored his 15th goal of the season just over 14 minutes into the period and the Wheat Kings held a 1-0 lead after 20.
In the second, Ridly Greig made it 2-0 for Brandon at the 9:39 mark and Patera did the rest. He made 12 saves in the game for a two period total of 21 and Brandon led 2-0 after 20.
Patera made another 13 saves in the third, but Regina found a way to get on the board. Just 1:57 into the third, Cole Dubinsky scored his second goal of the season to trim the deficit in half. However, that’s as close as Regina got.
Ty Thorpe and Luka Burzan scored third period markers as Brandon skated off with a 4-1 win.
Patera was named the second star of the game thanks to a 34-save performance.
Wheat Tips:
- Both teams struggled heavily on the power play. Brandon went 0-for-8 while Regina went 0-for-5. Regina did out shoot Brandon 35-34 and they also won 38 faceoffs compared to Brandon’s 35.
- Rookie Rylan Thiessen had one of his best games as a Wheat King. He was a +1 with one assist. Fellow rookie Neithan Salame had two assists and was a +1.
Vs Warriors:
Luka Burzan scored the game winner and he also scored Brandon’s first goal of the game in a 3-1 victory to end 2019.
Ethan Kruger made 23 saves for a Brandon team that continues to try and find consistency and they sure did to end 2019.
Burzan scored his 17th of the season, 12:21 into the first as the Wheat Kings carried a 1-0 lead into the second frame.
Brandon’s defence was stellar in the first, allowing only four shots on net, all of which were stopped by Kruger.
Calder Anderson tied the contest up with his first goal of the season with 5:04 left in the second.
The game stayed tied until late in the third period when Brandon came up clutch. Duncan Pierce and Ty Thorpe set up Burzan who scored the game winner with 2:40 left in the third.
Ridly Greig scored into an empty net with 32 seconds left to seal the win.
Wheat Tips:
- The goal from Calder Anderson was his first ever Western Hockey League marker. He’s also from Brandon.
- Brandon once again struggled on the power play, going 0-for-5. The Warriors, meanwhile, went 0-for-3.
- Brandon ended up putting up 39 shots while Moose Jaw only accounted for 24.
With the two wins, Brandon is now 17-17-1-2 and they’re just two points behind the top wild card spot which is occupied by Calgary.
Moose Jaw is now 10-20-2.
