Wheat Kings lock up first regular-season title in 19 years

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This article was published 21/03/2015 (4024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On a night when lot of individual trophies were handed out, it was a team honour that meant the most of all to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The Wheat Kings blasted the Moose Jaw Warriors 9-2 on Saturday night at Westman Place to earn the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the Western Hockey League’s regular-season champions for the first time since 1995-96. The Brandon players were disappointed they missed a chance to clinch on Friday night when they lost 7-6 in a shootout in Moose Jaw, Sask., but no one was complaining on Saturday.

"It would have been nice to win it (Friday) night in Moose Jaw, but I’m happy we did it for our fans here," said defenceman Macoy Erkamps, who scored the opening goal and added an assist in front of a season-high crowd of 5,312. "The guys came out with a good effort, and we’re walking away with the Scotty Munro and it’s exciting."

Rookie Nolan Patrick had a goal and three assists as the Wheat Kings finished the regular season with a 53-11-4-4 record for 114 points, the third-most in team history and their highest total since setting the WHL record of 125 in 1978-79. Jayce Hawryluk, Reid Gow, Morgan Klimchuk and Tyler Coulter also had a goal and an asist each. Brandon’s other goals came from Kale Clague, Rihards Bukarts and 2014 No.1 overall bantam draft pick Stelio Mattheos, who was making his WHL debut.

"Honestly, the way we finished is something that I’m real proud of," said Klimchuk, whose team will host the Edmonton Oil Kings on Thursday and Friday to open the playoffs. "You always want to finish a season on a good note and I thought we made a real statement tonight after what was a bit of a debacle last night."

The Warriors (32-35-4-1) entered the game with a chance to make the playoffs and got a goal from Jack Rodewald in the first period to tie the score 1-1. Brandon scored the next eight goals, though, before Moose Jaw’s Brayden Point was able to score in the final minute on Wheat Kings netminder Jordan Papirny, who made 26 saves for his league-leading 44th win.

"Guys were pretty focused and our dressing room was ready," Wheat Kings head coach and general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. "I think the leadership had our team ready to play and we were solid throughout."

ONE-TIMERS: Warriors G Brody Willms made 42 saves … Patrick and Hawryluk both scored their 30th goals of the campaign, becoming the fourth and fifth Wheat Kings to reach that mark this season … Playing his 322nd career game, one short of Dwayne Gylywoychuk’s team record, Brandon D Eric Roy had an assist for his 200th career point and went +4 … The Wheat Kings scratched C Duncan Campbell, who was injured on Friday. Other Brandon players out with injuries were C/LW Tanner Kaspick, C/RW Reid Duke and LW Quintin Lisoway, while D Mark Taraschuk was also scratched … The Warriors called up D Josh Brook of Roblin late in the season but he did not play on Saturday.

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