Wheaties hope to improve woeful defence

The fact the Brandon Wheat Kings have scored 11 goals in two games this season and are winless neatly encapsulates everything that is wrong with Western Hockey League club so far.

The Wheat Kings (0-2-0-0), who face the visiting Prince Albert Raiders (1-0-1-0) this evening at 6 o’clock at Assiniboine Credit Union Place, gave up the most goals in the WHL on opening weekend with 15.

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray said his team simply has to be better in its own end.

“We watched a lot of video this week and a lot of times it was just being on the wrong half of the body, not been got the defensive side of things and taking care of that most dangerous area of the ice, the house as we call it,” Murray said. “We talked a lot about seeing five guys in the picture all the time, not just one guy not having much support.

“Guys are going to get beat — that’s always going to happen — but we want to have that layer behind in case there is a breakdown.”

Brandon lost its home opener 6-4 to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, and then on Saturday blew a three-goal lead in the third period and fell 9-7 in Moose Jaw.

Overage defenceman Grayson Burzynski thinks the defensive lapses went even further, and was disappointed by the result.

“I think it was our work ethic,” Burzynski said. “Going through the video, it doesn’t seem like we were caring on defence. D-zone coverage and structure is one thing, but we also have to work and I don’t think we were doing that on Saturday. I don’t know if we were tired or what, but I know we work hard this week, and hopefully (tonight) we can come back and be hard working.”

Brandon’s top line of Jaxon Jacobson, Jordan Gavin and Luke Mistelbacher was on the ice for seven goals, although that includes an empty netter on opening night.

Gavin, who had two goals and two assists on the weekend, said they need to take their defensive reposnsibilities more seriously.

“It’s huge,” Jordan said. “We were all really good players last year and we expect to be taking another step this year. We need to take pride in defending, and that showed last weekend. We have to bear down. We know the offence is going to come down but we have to bear down and be positionally sound and get back on defence.”

They’ll face another East Division rival tonight as they try and get back on track.

Prince Albert, which visited the Regina Pats last night in a game that ended after deadline, was 1-0-1-0 going into the contest. The Wheat Kings won four of their six meetings a year ago.

Regardless of who is wearing the green and black, the Raiders seem to play the same kind of game season after season.

“It’s the same thing as playing Red Deer,” said Burzynski, who is leading the team in scoring with five points. “You know you’re going to get forechecked, you know you’re going to get back-checked. We can’t just rely on our skill. We have to play hard. I know they’ve lost some size with (Rilen) Kovacevic and (Niall) Crocker, two big forwards that would run you through the wall going back for pucks, but it doesn’t matter if you’re five-eight, their coach will still make them run you through the wall. “It’s just getting back for pucks hard and keeping your head up.”

At least the Wheat Kings will finally have a full roster, except for 19-year-old defenceman Merrek Arpin, who is out long term with an upper-body injury after suffering an ugly hit in the pre-season.

Brandon’s two National Hockey League campers, Carter Klippenstein and Brady Turko, both returned earlier in the week and will be back in the lineup.

“They are two veteran players who will bring a presence into our middle six,” Murray said. “It solidifies our depth up front. It will be nice to have those guys back and have a full contingent of forwards.”

That should further boost an offence that put 44 and 34 shots on net and scored on three of its six power-play opportunities.

Even so, Murray said the club can sharpen its offensive game as well.

“We have four or even five lines that can contribute offensively,” Murray said. “I still think there is another level to get to in terms of owning some more zone time and shots and puck possession in the O-zone. I think we’re talented enough to carry a game that way. Those are some strides we’re hoping to make here, and we’ll have a big test in P.A.”

But Jordan cautioned that the team has to balance their play on the two side of the puck.

“I don’t think we want to sacrifice goals for goals against, so we need to clean that up,” Jordan said. “Our power play and our offensive game have been good.”

The WHL has the Wheat Kings dipping their toes into the season again, with seven games in the first 27 days, including six at home. They have 10 in a similar span at the end of the season.

But the time off did give the Wheat Kings a chance to tighten up after a devastating opening weekend, which Murray hopes pays off tonight.

“That was our focus this week, to do a lot of teaching and video,” Murray said. “I’m frustrated that we came out of the weekend with nothing. If you score 11 goals in two games, you should be able to (earn points), it was just the way we lost things. Hopefully that motivates the guys on the weekend.”

ICINGS: The first suspension of the regular season has dropped, with Medicine Hat Tigers forward Carter Cunningham earning two games for a crosschecking major and game misconduct against the Regina Pats on Saturday … Defenceman Adam Hlinsky was in a cage at practice on Friday after getting hit in the jaw with a puck at practice.

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