DUBNetwork Feature Game of the Night: October 19, 2019, Brandon Wheat Kings 4-6-0-0 @
Portland Winterhawks 5-3-0-1 6:00 PM (PDT)
In a cross border battle, the Brandon Wheat Kings travel to visit Johnny Ludvig and the
Portland Winterhawks. Portland is back home after completing their longest road trip of the
season, a seven-game trip, which saw the Winterhawks go 3-3-0-1.
Their last game was a 2-1 shoot out loss at the hands of the Edmonton Oil Kings last Sunday. Portland has been perfect on home ice in two games this season, picking wins over the Tri-City Americans and Kamloops Blazers.
Brandon, on the other hand, picked up their first win in three games last night, in a 3-2
overtime win over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Cole Reinhardt led the way with two goals,
including the overtime winner. Brandon has played much better on the road so far this season,
as they have only one win in five opportunities on home ice.
Colorado Avalanche sixth-round pick from this past season’s NHL entry draft, Luka Burzan
has led the Wheat Kings in scoring to start the year. Burzan, now in his fourth season in the
WHL has picked up seven points in ten games. Last year, Burzan broke out with 78 points,
including scoring 40 times. He absolutely smashed all of his career highs in all offensive
categories. Prior to last season his highest total points for a year were 27, which he collected in
his rookie season while playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors. Thanks to his strong play last
season and his start to this season, Burzan was selected to take part in the 2019 CIBC Canada
Russia Series as part of Team WHL.
Helping Burzan up front has been the play of third-year forward Ben McCartney. Like Burzan, McCartney set career highs in all offensive categories last season with Brandon. He scored 21 goals for the first time and added 20 assists. So far this season McCartney has registered five points in eight games for the Wheat Kings.
Defenceman Braden Schneider will join Burzan in representing team WHL at the Canada
Russia Series. So far this season, Schneider has four points in ten games. Now in his third
season with Brandon, Schneider had 24 points in 58 games last year.
Just over a week ago the Wheat Kings decided on their three overage players as they acquired 20-year old Dom Schmiemann from the Tri-City Americans, after having dealt Zach Wytinck to the Regina Pats.
Portland, who currently sit three points behind the Everett Silvertips for first place in the U.S.
Division has been led by Florida Panthers third-round pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft,
Johnny Ludvig. The Kamloops, BC native, in his third season with the Winterhawks, has
already scored six times this season and added five assists. Last season Ludvig posted 18
points in 58 games. Right behind Ludvig in team scoring is New York Islanders fifth-round draft
pick, Reece Newkirk. Selected in last year’s NHL entry draft, Newkirk has 10 points in nine
games. Last season in 68 games played, Newkirk posted career highs in all offensive
categories including scoring 23 times, while adding 36 assists.
First-year import Simon Knak has not disappointed early on into the season. Coming over from Zurich, Switzerland, Knak has already posted 10 points in nine games. Joining Wheat Kings’ Burzan and Schneider at the Canada Russia series is Winterhawks goaltender Joel Hofer. Hofer was recently named the WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Week for his performance in Alberta. In three games, the
signed St. Louis Blues prospect posted a 2-0-0-1 record, 0.97 goals-against average, stopped
79 of 82 shots for a .963 save percentage and recorded the fifth shutout of his WHL career.
Hofer was acquired last season from the Swift Current Broncos and is currently tied for second
in the WHL with five wins this season. Through 26 career games with the Winterhawks, Hofer
owns a 14-10-0-1 record with three shutouts, a 2.80 goals-against average, and a .915 save
percentage.
Expected in goal:
• Connor Ungar (Brandon) – Going to go out on a limb and guess that Ungar makes his season debut. The 2002-born netminder was called up from the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL when Jiri Patera went down with an injury. Ethan Kruger has started the first two games of their five-game U.S. Division trip and this seems like a likely time for him to get some rest.
• Joel Hofer (Portland) – Hofer, in his third season, is coming off a season where he posted
15 wins in 48 appearances between Swift Current and Portland. This season in eight
games, Hofer has picked up five wins including one shut-out and a 1.99GAA and a
928SAV%.
In other WHL action:
Saskatoon Blades (7-4-0-1) @ Winnipeg ICE (4-4-1-0)
Koen MacInnes could see his third start of the season against an up-and-down Winnipeg ICE club. MacInnes is 2-0-0-0 to start the season allowing just three goals while stopping 62-of-65 shots. The ICE scratched and clawed their way to a 6-5 shootout victory over the Broncos in their last game, snapping a three-game losing skid. The game is the first of a back-to-back played in Winnipeg this weekend.
Moose Jaw Warriors (5-5-0-0) @ Lethbridge Hurricanes (6-4-0-1)
After a hot start in which the Warriors went 5-1, the team has now lost four straight games. On the other side of the ice, Lethbridge has won their last three games. The two teams met on the 15th of this month with the Hurricanes winning 6-0.
Regina Pats (1-10-0-0) @ Red Deer Rebels (4-6-0-0)
After winning their opening game of the season, the Regina Pats have lost 10 straight. They have allowed the second-most goals per game at 4.36 over their first 11 contests. Red Deer has not faired well either early this season, allowing 3.90 goals per game. Regina’s captain, Austin Pratt, has 10 points in 11 games.
Kelowna Rockets (6-3-1-0) @ Kamloops Blazers (7-4-0-0)
These two teams continue to slug it out for BC Division supremacy. Kamloops has won both prior contests, 3-2 in overtime and 5-2 on the 12th of this month. Kamloops boasts three of the top five scorers in the WHL this season (Zary 18, Centazzo 15, Franklin 15) while Kelowna has three in the top 25, (Foote 13, Novak 13, Topping 11). The teams will meet again on November 11.
Spokane Chiefs (4-4-1-0) @ Prince George Cougars (3-5-0-1)
With their win last night over the Chiefs the Cougars pulled themselves out of the Western Conference basement. The win was their third in the last four games and second in a row against the Chiefs. This is the team’s third game against each other in eight days, they’ll play again on November 2nd in Spokane.
Swift Current Broncos (2-6-1-1) @ Vancouver Giants (6-6-0-0)
The Broncos are playing the fourth game of a five-game BC Division road trip, they have yet to win but did take the Rockets to overtime. Vancouver has struggled to start the season, the trip through the East Division did them no favours. The team keeps trading wins and losses to start the season. Justin Sourdiff was injured in the Giants game last night, no word yet on how long the rookie may be out of action.
Prince Albert Raiders (7-0-2-0) @ Everett Silvertips (7-3-0-0)
The Raiders are the only remaining team with no regulation losses. Tonight’s game is the first for Prince Albert on their five-game US Division road trip that will keep them from the Art Hauser Centre until November 1st. Everett boasts league scoring leader Bryce Kindopp, he has 18 points through 10 games. Cole Fonstad will face the team that traded him just six days ago.
Seattle Thunderbirds (2-4-2-0) @ Tri-City Americans (5-4-0-0)
The basement-dwelling Thunderbirds have collected points in three of their last four games but have collected just one win in their last seven games. Tri-City won the only game between these two teams back on September 27th, they will play five more times before the end of the season.
