Moosetail in it to win it

Urijah Moosetail isn’t shying away from what his expectations are when the U18 AAA Brandon Wheat Kings season is all said and done.

The 16-year-old crease patroller, who’s entering his first season with Brandon’s U18 club, is clear: He wants victory at all costs.

“I want to win this league championship and then make it to the Telus Cup,” said Moosetail. “I’m pretty hyped for what the boys can do, and hopefully we can make it there just like the prior teams.”

Moosetail is referring to the stacked 2023-2024 Wheaties squad, which included elite players like Jaxon Jacobson, Colten Worthington, Ethan Stewart, Brady Turko, and Josh McGregor, who helped the team finish first in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League standings before taking down the Winnipeg Wild in the final and then finishing as the runners-up in the Telus Cup to the Magog Cantonniers.

Despite losing most of their star-studded talent to major junior hockey last year, Brandon still not only managed to finish first in the regular season for a fourth straight season but also reached the final against the Wild again, except this time losing out in a sweep.

Moosetail may not have the most experience, having played U17 after failing to make the cut last year, but that doesn’t matter to him one bit.

“I can definitely tell there’s a difference for me in, like, the calibre of players, but it just doesn’t really bother me that much,” Moosetail said of the jump from U17 to U18. “The boys have been playing very well in front of me, and I feel like I’ve had a very hot start to the season.”

The six-foot, 175-pound netminder’s play backs up his comments, as in six starts, Moosetail has recorded a 5-1 record with a 1.61 goals against average and a .939 save percentage. He most recently notched a win against the Norman Northstars, which saw his club rally for a dominant 15-2 win at J&G Homes Arena on Friday.

Those types of numbers aren’t out of the ordinary for Moosetail, as last year he eclipsed a .937 save percentage and a 1.52 goals against average, to go along with a 16-2-1 record. It was a season that he felt he had a lot to prove.

“Last year, it was obviously disappointing not making the team, but there was a learning experience, and I learned from it and then just got better and better,” he said. “My dad kind of talked me through it, to just take it as a learning experience and get it back next year playing with a little bit of an edge, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Moosetail just took a sigh of relief once head coach Travis Mealy told him he had cracked the lineup and has not looked back since. He knows if his team wants to make any noise this year, he’s going to need to be a big part of it, but it’s pressure he’s clearly embracing.

“If you don’t have a good goalie, teams can’t win, so being the backbone is what I play for,” he said. “Making those big saves in the big moments is what I love so much about being a goalie.

“I just keep it simple, play a heavy game, and play my game. I know it’s effective.”

Moosetail takes up a decent chunk of the net, which helps his play in between the pipes, but one of his biggest attributes is also his quick and explosive moments in the net. It’s a critical part of his game that he’s crafted over the years and has certainly paid off.

“It’s a big part of what I’ve tried to do over the years,” Moosetail said. Just getting faster and also just trying to read the plays more because that’s a big part of being a goalie. Just reading the plays and trying to anticipate, but also not cheating.”

As Moosetail and the Wheat Kings continue to build toward bringing another championship home come springtime, they will focus on consistency day in and day out during the regular season.

Brandon’s next contest will be on the road against the Winnipeg Thrashers (6-0) at Seven Oaks Community Centre on Saturday.

» mdelucataronno@brandonsun.com