Flamand returns to rout Rockets

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This article was published 22/01/2025 (240 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nolan Flamand scored twice and added two assists against his former club as the Brandon Wheat Kings beat the Kelowna Rockets 7-3 in Western Hockey League action at Prospera Place on Tuesday.

Brandon (21-15-3-2) also received two goals from Luke Shipley and singles from Dominik Petr, Caleb Hadland and Matteo Michels

plus four assists from Quinn Mantei and two helpers from newcomer Jordan Gavin. Hayden Paupanekis, Dawson Gerwing and Jakub Stancl replied for Kelowna (16-21-3-1) in front of a crowd of 3,347.

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray said Flamand, who took over the team scoring lead with 44 points, was very good.

“He said in the post-game celebration in the room that he’s had this one marked on his calendar for a while,” Murray said. “You leave an organization and you want to come back and have a good showing and I thought he was excellent tonight.”

So far on the trip, Brandon lost 4-2 to the Calgary Hitmen, beat the Victoria Royals 5-4, fell 5-3 to the Everett Silvertips and were defeated 3-1 by the Vancouver Giants.

“I thought it was a good response,” Murray said. “I think there was some frustration from the last couple offensively a little bit. I liked our games for the most part against Everett and Vancouver, so I know everyone was a little disappointed to come up with nothing in those two games. It was nice to break out tonight. To have the game out of reach after two periods was nice for everybody.”

It took Flamand three minutes 55 seconds to get a measure of revenge against the team that sent him to Brandon on Jan. 10, 2023 for forward Trae Johnson and two draft picks. It was Flamand’s first game back in Kelowna, where his parents now live.

Defenceman Adam Belusko sent the puck to Flamand, who dished over to Marcus Nguyen and skated into the middle. His fellow overager found him there and Flamand sent a quick shot past Kelowna goalie Rhett Stoesser.

Brandon had the better chances throughout the period against a short-staffed Kelowna club that was without forwards Tij Iginla, Max Graham and Michael Cicek, plus defencemen Will Sharpe and Gabriel Guilbault. They were also sellers at the trade deadline as they prepare to host the 2026 Memorial Cup.

Brandon widened the lead 2:40 into the second period when the newcomer Gavin earned his first assist with the Wheat Kings after he got the puck back to Shipley and the overage defenceman scored his 11th goal of the season with a shot Stoesser never saw.

The Rockets got back within a goal when the Wheat Kings chased around after the puck in their own zone and the 17-year-old Paupanekis was left all alone in the slot. The former Spokane Chiefs forward from Winnipeg, who was acquired in the Andrew Cristall trade, fired a quick shot past Brandon goalie Ethan Eskit

Brandon was fortunate to stay up a goal when Rockets forward Kalder Varga rang a shot off the iron on a three-on-one minutes later.

The Wheat Kings re-established the two-goal lead 16 seconds into their first power play when Petr’s hard pass to Nick Johnson didn’t make it, instead deflecting into the net off the skate of Rockets defenceman Nate Corbet.

Just 69 seconds later, Brandon came into the Kelowna zone and Hadland sent a rocket into the top of the net for his 16th goal of the season.

Eskit was busier in the second period, making back-to-back terrific saves on Stancl’s breakaway and rebound attempt.

The Wheat Kings put the game away with a pair of power-play goals that came 66 seconds apart, with Flamand scoring on a give-and-go with Nick Johnson and Michels blasting in his first power-play goal of the season on Brandon’s 31st shot of the game.

The Michels goal, which came at the 18:53 mark, was Brandon’s fourth in less than seven minutes. Flamand nearly got the hat trick two minutes into the third period but hit the post behind Stoesser on a tip.

Shipley then got his second of the game on a low shot through traffic that beat Stoesser between the legs. The Wheat Kings actually outshot the Rockets 22-6 in the final frame but gave up some high quality chances late in the period that cost them.

Brandon breakdowns in the final four minutes led to Gerwing sneaking a shot off a Brandon stick through Eskit’s legs on a partial breakaway and Stancl sending a rocket into the top of the net. Still, a seven-goal output from a team that had been failing to convert on some glorious chances during the trip was a relief, Murray said.

“We moved it around pretty good and had some good execution on our goals,” Murray said. “It was good to have everybody involved. Three guys who weren’t on the scoresheet (Joby) Baumuller, (Carter) Klippenstein and (Brady) Turko, I thought they were three of our better players. They played really well and did a lot of good things. It was a complete effort. We didn’t have any passengers tonight.”

Eskit made 20 saves for the Wheat Kings, with Stoesser stopping 48 shots for the Rockets as Brandon put a season-high 55 shots on net.

Brandon went 3-for-5 on the power play — the first time they’ve scored three goals on the man advantage this season — with Kelowna unsuccessful in two chances.

The Wheat Kings finish up their annual Western Conference trip against the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CST, and the Prince George Cougars on Friday at 9 p.m. Murray said his team will have to be ready again tonight.

“There is a little more separation between games,” Murray said. “It’s not as hectic a schedule. I’m confident that energy-wise our guys are there but mentally to give us a chance to get back to .500 on our road trip tomorrow is critical. We’re going to have to follow up with another good one tomorrow because we’re going to need it.”

ICINGS: Brandon skated without injured forwards Roger McQueen and Easton Odut, plus F Ben Binder Nord (illness) and D Merrek Arpin, who remains away from the team as he attends to a family emergency … Klippenstein led the Wheat Kings with nine shots on net … The game took two hours, 24 minutes to play … In the faceoff circle, Kelowna won 37-34 … Brandon last scored six or more goals in Kelowna when the Wheat Kings beat the Rockets 7-1 on Oct. 28, 2006 … Brandon’s next home game is on Wednesday Jan. 29 when the Red Deer Rebels visit.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @PerryBergson

LATE TUESDAY

Wheat Kings 7, Rockets 1

First Period

1. Brandon, Flamand 14 (Nguyen, Belusko) 3:55.

Penalties — Flamand Bdn (slashing) 8:09, Jacobson Bdn (slashing) 11:02.

Second Period

2. Brandon, Shipley 11 (Gavin, Mantei) 2:40.

3. Kelowna, Paupanekis 13 ( Kowalyk, Henderson) 6:12.

4. Brandon, Petr 9 (Mantei, Flamand) 12:18 (pp).

5. Brandon, Hadland 16 (Jacobson, Ronald) 13:37.

6. Brandon, Flamand 15 (Johnson, Mantei) 17:47 (pp).

7. Brandon, Michels 15 (Shipley, Gavin) 18:53 (pp).

Penalties — Longley Kel (tripping) 12:01, Kowalyk Kel (roughing) 17:27, Klippenstein Bdn (fighting major) 17:57, Gerwing Kel (fighting major, interference) 17:57, Third Period

8. Brandon, Shipley 12 (Flamand, Mantei) 13:33.

9. Kelowna, Gerwing 8 (Kowalyk) 16:30.

10. Kelowna, Stancl 17 ( Varga, K. Gojsic) 18:11.

Penalties — Henderson Kel (interference) 2:23, Corbet Kel (high sticking) 15:59.

Shots on goal by

Brandon 15 18 22 — 55

Kelowna 7 10 6 — 23

Goal — Brandon: Eskit (W, 9-3-1-2). Kelowna: Stoesser (L, 6-10-1-1).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Brandon: 3-5; Kelowna: 0-2.

Referees — Derek Hatch, Matthew Hicketts.

Linesmen — Zach Anderson, Dustin Minty.

Attendance — 3,347 in Kelowna.