U15 AA Wheaties prepare for do-or-die Game 5

What looked like a sure-fire spot in the championship has now come down to a coin toss.

The Brandon Wheat Kings (2-2) find themselves in a winner-take-all position as they enter Game 5 of their Winnipeg Hockey League U15 AA semifinal matchup against the Bruins Brown (4-2) tonight at St. Vital Centennial Arena.

The Wheat Kings, who had a first-round bye after finishing second overall in the standings behind the Thrashers Blue, came out of the gate flying, grabbing 6-3 and 4-2 victories last week to put a stranglehold on the series, but it’s been the Bruins on top ever since.

Winnipeg clung to whatever hope it could find and responded with a dominant 4-1 win over Brandon on Tuesday and then came out unscathed with a 2-1 decision on Thursday to climb itself out of a hole and draw even at twos.

Wheat Kings head coach Tim Lang admitted it’s not how he drew it up, but said his team is still confident in clinching their berth into the final.

“Obviously the last two games haven’t gone the way we wanted in terms of the score, but we’re gonna have to have our best game of the series on Saturday night,” said Lang on Friday. “Goals have been tough to come by in this series, I think probably for both teams, so we’re gonna have to find a way to generate some more offence and get some more pucks on net because they’re certainly playing a good defensive system against us and we’re just gonna have to figure out a way to get through it.

“They’re a good hockey team that we’re playing but I think that our guys know we’re a good team too and believe in ourselves that we can wrap it up and get that third win. We’ve had such a good season and we’ve played so well most of the time, so it would be a shame if we didn’t give our best effort.”

Lang said the first pair of games his club has a bit more pep in their step and used their speed efficiently to break down the Bruins’ structure in their own end, but it was lacking a bit in Games 3 and 4. They’ll look to get back on track, and also find a way to bury more of their chances.

In Game 1, the Wheaties had no problems hitting the back of the net after netting plenty of goals in quick succession and running Bruins goaltender Blake Mitchell out of the rink, but now they’ve ran into a bit of a brick wall.

Netminder Jack Ladobruk has gone from the bench to leaving his stamp all over this series, as he’s been a big reason Winnipeg’s been able to come back to life.

Lang credited the play of their goalie, but believes his team should be able to pierce through his armour if they keep it simple.

“We just kind of got to get back to what we were doing before,” he said. “Anytime you’re facing a goal that seems to be in the zone, I think a lot of the time you maybe want to make that perfect shot rather than just putting pucks on net, so I think that’s kind of creeping up a little bit for us

“Just reminding guys to throw pucks on net and get some ugly goals. I think we got some ugly goals the first couple games, and so I think we kind of got to go back to that with just just traffic in front and bodies to the net and getting one early I think would be a nice way to kind of build our confidence a little bit.”

With Brody Mcnish (five goals, six points), Keane Forsythe (1g, 5p), and Kayde Jackson (2g, 3p) leading the way offensively, Brandon certainly has the tools to get the job done, but they are no doubt missing the presence of Cash Coleman.

The big power forward racked up more than 50 points during the season and proved to be a real problem for defenders whether it be in the corners battling for loose pucks or trying to get body position in front of the net for a rebound. He’s the ideal playoff type player a coach would want for an all-or-nothing game such as tonight, but he’s not at Lang’s disposal.

Coleman broke his wrist after being on the receiving end of an awkward collision during the Tournament of Champions final last month.

“He was playing some of his best hockey of the year, so that was a big loss for us,” Lang said of Coleman. “He’s a big body, he’s got a great shot, he’s a guy that skates like the wind, so it’s been a big loss for us. He can make stuff happen and make guys life a little bit tougher with his speed.

“We’re hoping that if all goes well, he might be returning maybe for next series if we can figure out a way to get through this one.”

And if they do, Lyndan Spurway’s going to have a say in it.

The Wheat Kings second-year crease patroller has played all four games this series after his partner, Caden Mashinter, suffered a finger injury and he’s given his team a chance to win every time. He believes tonight is no different.

“It’s just another game for me,” said Spurway. “I need to go in there with swagger and just do the best I can and give my team a chance to win.

“We’re gonna be really hungry and I think we’re gonna want it more than them.”

The 14-year-old said he isn’t fazed at all by the pressure and pointed toward he and his team’s experience already this season following a championship win in Regina and a finals appearance at the TOC.

“It’ll be good with that experience because we can play third periods and we’ll give it 110 per cent because we’re such a deep team,” he said. “We can always roll all three lines and all three D pairings and get the job done.”

Spurway’s also relies just as much on the mental side of the game, as he works with goalie mindset trainer Pete Fry to help him focus before the game. His pre-game routine revolves around dynamic stretches and then visualizing making saves or celebrating with his teammates after a win.

“I think that’s a game changer, just having a positive mindset,” Spurway said.

He hopes it will manifest his team a win tonight and give them a chance to play in the final, an opportunity he’s itching to seize.

“It would mean a lot. Just to show all the growth that we’ve had and all the work that our team has put in this year. I definitely think we need to go a bit farther with how the season has gone so far.”

In the other semifinal matchup, the first-place Thrashers Blue and Wild Red are also deadlocked at twos and will play Game 5 tonight at the same arena.

» mdelucataronno@brandonsun.com