March 25, 2023

GAME HUB: Wheat Kings close out season in Winnipeg

2022/2023 Wheat Kings Regular Season Record: 26-32-8-1 Home: 12-16-5-1 Road: 14-16-3-0

Head Coach: Marty Murray | 18-17-6-1 WHL (Reg Season) games coached |
All-Time Record: 18-17-6-1 | Playoff Record: 0-0

REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS:
Goals (33) – Nate Danielson Assists (45) – Nate Danielson
Points (78) – Nate Danielson PIMS (140) – Matt Henry (Leads WHL)
Plus/Minus (12) – Quinn Mantei Shots (273) – Nolan Ritchie
Wins (21) – Carson Bjarnason Shutouts (3) – Carson Bjarnason
Save % (.900) – Carson Bjarnason Goals Against Average (3.08) – Carson Bjarnason

NEWS & NOTES:

Last Game: The Wheat Kings and ICE went the distance Friday night with the ICE coming out with the 3-2 shootout win. After trailing 1-0 heading into the third, the Wheat Kings got goals from Nolan Flamand and Dawson Pasternak only to hold the lead for 5 seconds with Briley Wood tying the game forcing overtime. Overtime would solve nothing, putting the game into a shootout. During the shootout Dawson Pasternak scored in the first round for the Wheat Kings but ICE forward Connor McClennon & Zack Ostapchuk would score to give the advantage to the ICE forcing Nate Danielson to score in the third round for the Wheat Kings

March 25th VS Winnipeg ICE: The Wheat Kings close out the regular season versus the Winnipeg ICE. The Wheat Kings are 0-5-3-1 against the ICE this season and have lost 14 in a row dating back to last season. Last victory over the ICE was December 27th, 2021 when the Wheat Kings stormed back to defeat the ICE 5-4 in overtime. Chad Nychuk scored a pair of goals including the game winner.

Graduating Players: This will be the final game of junior hockey for both Nolan Ritchie and Calder Anderson who will age out. Ritchie is a point per game player in the Western Hockey League scoring 185 points in 184 games. Anderson has had a great season putting up 49 points this season with the Wheat Kings. The two Brandon born forwards grew up playing minor hockey together.

Milestone Watch:

Rylen Roersma: 1 Goal away from tying a season high (19). 2 Games away from 150 played.

Kaydon Sadhra-Kang: Still looking for his first goal as a Wheat King.

Nolan Ritchie: 6 points away from tying last year’s high. 1 assist away from setting a personal single season record(44)

Nate Danielson: 1 point away from 150 in his career.

Called Up: Wheat Kings Top Prospect Joby Baumuller has been called up and will remain with the Wheat Kings for the rest of the season. The former 12th overall pick, Baumuller finished tied for 4th overall in goal scoring as a 15-year-old in the Saskatchewan U18 AAA Hockey League this year. Baumuller scored his 1st career WHL goal in a 10-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on March 11th . Then Baumuller added another versus the Regina Pats in front of his Notre Dame teammates on March 15th. Baumuller grew up just outside of Regina in Wilcox, Saskatchewan.

Who’s Hot: Zakhar Polshakov has 8 points in his last 9 games. Nolan Ritchie has 10 points in his last 10 games. Andrei Malyavin has 5 points in his last 4 games.. Kayden Sadhra-Kang has 5 points in his last 6 games.

WHEAT KINGS VS ICE SCHEDULE

Sep. 24 Winnipeg 4 at Brandon 3 Final OT

Oct. 28 Winnipeg 4 at Brandon 1 Final

Oct. 29 Brandon 3 at Winnipeg 4 Final

Nov. 12 Brandon 3 at Winnipeg 8 Final

Dec. 17 Brandon 3 at Winnipeg 4 Final OT

Feb. 3 Winnipeg 7 at Brandon 6 Final OT

Mar. 4 Winnipeg 8 at Brandon 3 Final

Mar. 12 Brandon 1 at Winnipeg 4 Final

Mar. 24 Winnipeg 3 at Brandon 2 Final SO

Mar. 25 Brandon at Winnipeg 6:05 pm CDT

NOTABLE INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATS

Carson Bjarnason: 3rd in the WHL in shutouts (3)

Matthew Henry: 1st in the WHL with 140 PIMS