How the Wheat Kings have debuted against expansion teams
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When you’ve been around the Western Hockey League as long as the Brandon Wheat Kings have, you’ve seen a few expansion clubs. Here’s a look at how the Wheat Kings have done in their first game against every new expansion team that’s joined the league since the dawn of the Internet era in the 1996-97 season.
EDMONTON ICE
(later the Kooteney Ice, Winnipeg Ice, Wenatchee Wild)
1996-97
Edmonton 4, Brandon 3
• Date: Oct. 27, 1996
• BWK goal scorers: Kelly Smart, Jason Boyd, Brad Twordik.
• EDM scorers: Jay Henderson (2), David Darguzas, Andy Penny.
• BWK goalie: David Haun.
• EDM goalie: Greg Tooke.
• Shots: 34-21 BWK.
• PP: BWK 0-3. EDM 0-2.
• Attendance: 1,891.
• RECAP: In Edmonton, Kelly Smart scored the game’s first goal 4:29 into the first period, and Jason Boyd put Brandon up 2-1 in the second period, but the former Wheat King Darguzas scored with 14 seconds left in the second period and the Ice won the game with goals 32 second apart midway through the third period.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
2001-02
Brandon 6, Vancouver 1
• Date: Feb. 13, 2002
• BWK goal scorers: Kevin Harris (2), Reagan Leslie, Lance Monych, Tim Konsorada, Ryan Craig.
• VAN scorers: Ryan Coghlan.
• BWK goalie: Geoff McIntosh.
• VAN goalie: Brett Jaeger.
• Shots: 41-15 BWK.
• PP: BWK 3-5. VAN 0-4.
• Attendance: 2,535.
• RECAP: In Brandon, Harris scored the first goal 12:36 into the first period and then put his team up 2-0 midway through the second period. When the Giants responded 90 seconds later, Monych replied for Brandon two minutes after and the game was won when the Wheat Kings added a pair of goals in the third period. Neepawa’s Triston Grant was in the Giants lineup, as was former Wheat King Mark Ardelan.
EVERETT SILVERTIPS
2003-04
Everett 6, Brandon 2
• Date: Feb. 15, 2004
• BWK goal scorers: Eric Fehr, Richard Jasovsky.
• EVT scorers: Riley Armstrong (2), Jeff Schmidt, John Dahl, Torrie Wheat, Tyler Dietrich.
• BWK goalie: Mike Nichol.
• EVT goalie: Mike Wall, Leland Irving.
• Shots: 37-33 BWK.
• PP: BWK 1-4. EVT 1-4.
• Attendance: 6,027.
• RECAP: In Everett, Armstrong opened the scoring 4:45 in and 15 seconds later it was 2-0. The Silvertips, who lost in the WHL final that season, led 5-0 before Brandon got its two goals. Everett had former Brandon defenceman Bryan Nathe in the lineup after they claimed him in the expansion draft, and he suited up in all 93 regular season and playoff games.
CHILLIWACK BRUINS
(now the Victoria Royals)
2006-07
Chilliwack 4, Brandon 2,
• Date: Oct. 27, 2006
• BWK goal scorers: Codey Burki (2).
• CHI scorers: Josh Aspenlind (2), Oscar Moller (2).
• BWK goalie: Joe Caligiuri.
• CHI goalie: Jimmy Watt.
• Shots: 35-22 CHI.
• PP: BWK 1-10. OPP 0-6.
• Attendance: 4,198.
• RECAP: In Chilliwack, Aspenlind popped in the opening goal 2:39 into the contest, and by the 13-minute mark, the Bruins led 3-0. Burki singlehandedly dragged Brandon back into the game with goals four minuets apart in the third period, but Moller added a late goal to salt away the victory. Former Wheat Kings defenceman Stephane Lenoski and forward prospect Michael Proudley were both in the Bruins lineup.
EDMONTON OIL KINGS
2007-08
Brandon 6, Edmonton 3
• Date: Nov. 9, 2007.
• BWK goal scorers: Andrew Clark, Matt Lowry, Scott Glennie, Colby Robak, Tyler Dittmer, Daniel Bartek.
• EDM scorers: Robin Figren (2).
• BWK goalie: Andrew Hayes.
• EDM goalie: Alex Archibald.
• Shots: 33-18 BWK.
• PP: BWK 3-6. OPP 0-2.
• Attendance: 4,411.
• RECAP: In Brandon, Clark, who also had three assists, opened the scoring 2:58 into the affair on the power play. Figren tied the game twice but Glennie netted the winner in the second period and Robak added some extra insurance just over a minute later. With Brandon killing a penalty in the third period, the game featured a line brawl at the 12:15 mark and all nine skaters were tossed. Another fight with 30 seconds left earned Clark his Gordie Howe hat trick. Former Wheat King defenceman Brandon Lockerby and future Brandon forward Brent Raedeke both skated for the Oil Kings.