Taylor, U15 Wheat Kings continue dominance

Just when it appears the Wheat Kings good fortunes may be running dry, they slam the door on doubt — and still don’t know what losing feels like.

Brandon’s U15 AAA squad continued their winning ways over the weekend after sweeping its home-and-away set against the Eastman Selects with a 7-5 win on the road, followed by a 3-0 win at J&G Homes Arena. The last undefeated team in the league continues to sit pretty in the West Division with a 15-0 record, outrageously averaging just shy of nine goals per game and carrying a plus 101-goal differential.

The Wheaties had a bit of a scare Friday evening, though, as their perfect record almost came crashing down after the Selects rattled two goals early in the first period for a 2-0 lead. Superstar Kale Nicol brought his club back to life after responding late in the first period, and then Daniel Flett-Neapew tied the game at twos early in the second before Nicol added four more to power Brandon to another victory. The 13-year-old, who’s now up to 45 goals and 74 points, also notched two more goals in their home victory on Saturday.

While Nicol’s gotten his flowers for his play and deservedly so, other guys in the lineup are also having breakout seasons but are still managing to fly under the radar. Sullivan Taylor is near the top of that list.

The five-foot-11, 150-pound winger’s nine goals and 25 points have already surpassed the 22-point mark he set in his freshman season last year. For Taylor, his jump in production feels like a result of everyone doing their part.

“It’s all going good when you have a three-line unit that is reliable and can put the puck in the net,” said Taylor, who tallied an assist in Brandon’s win over the Selects on Friday night. “We all have big roles on the team, and everyone’s been filling those roles, so it’s helping us out a lot.”

Last season, the Wheat Kings snapped their three-year streak of winning the provincial championship after they failed to qualify for the final four last spring. Taylor believes his team’s shortcomings and heartbreak have put them in a better position to win this year, especially with head coach Dave Lewis at the helm.

“I know how badly everyone wants to hang a banner, so I feel like we’ve learned our lessons,” he said. “He (Lewis) likes us to play physically, get on their D-men, and put the puck on the net, so I think our physicality is a big part. Just being able to finish all our checks, wear their D down, and execute our structure.

“I think we expected to be a good team, but we could still keep getting better.”

A big point of emphasis for him this year has been learning to use his size to his advantage by being more physical on the forecheck and using his long reach to protect the puck. The adjustments seem minimal, but Taylor’s production on the ice has proved they’ve made all the difference.

“I feel like I’ve gained some more confidence using my size, and it’s definitely helped me adjust to the play better than last season,” Taylor said. “It’s just going to keep getting faster and faster as the year goes on, so having the size over people helps to make plays and set up my teammates, and when I have a chance in front of the net, I’m just going to try and bear down and put it in. But I know my playmaking is definitely a big factor in my game, so that’s been huge.”

Taylor’s also picked up some playmaking tips while watching his older brother Grady, a defenceman on the U18 Wheat Kings, who’s grabbed 13 assists and 16 points this season through 25 games.

As for his club, Taylor’s linemates have flip-flopped quite a bit this season, but right now, he’s playing on a line with first-years Jett Wood and Cash Leslie. The trio has combined for 56 points and will look to continue running up the scoresheet in hopes of keeping their undefeated record intact when they face the Winnipeg Thrashers Blue on Friday at Gateway Recreation Centre.

» mdelucataronno@brandonsun.com