Calgary wary of Brandon’s high-end skill

The Calgary Hitmen are about to embark on an unusual Western Hockey League playoff experience, but Dustin Friesen and his young charges are fine with it.

The Hitmen head coach and his club will be playing Games 3, 4 and 5 in Virden instead of Brandon.

“I don’t think it makes a difference to us,” Friesen said. “Our team has been tough on the road this year and played well on the road. It will maybe be a different environment than they’re used to but I think it’s going to be a really good environment.

“I think our group is excited that Brandon isn’t where we’re playing. We’re just excited to get going.”

Friesen said he has spoken to Lethbridge Hurricanes staff who were in Virden a year ago for the playoffs and they enjoyed the experience, so he isn’t worried.

Here’s a look at the Wheat Kings through a Hitmen perspective.

GOAL

Filip Ruzicka (2008, 3.19 gaa, .906 save %), Jayden Kraus (2006, 3.65 gaa, .895 save %). Both goalies played twice against Calgary, with Ruzicka earning both victories in Calgary

“He’s been really good for them,” Friesen said of the big Czech netminder. “He covers a lot of the net and he’s played a lot of games for them and quality games. He’s probably been one of the better goalies in the conference this year. We have to make sure we’re doing the right things to get the puck by him.”

Ruzicka had a .919 save percentage against the Hitmen, with Kraus not far behind at .899.

DEFENCE

Grayson Burzynski (2005, 59gp, 58p), Max Lavoie (2006, 67gp, 14p), Dylan Ronald (2006, 42gp, 12p), Daniil Skvortsov (2007, 49gp, 8p).

Cameron Allard (2008, 62gp, 19p), Gio Pantelas (2008, 68gp, 37p), Nigel Boehm (2008, 63gp, 16p).

The Wheat Kings will also have callup Cruz Jim with them, so aside from the injured Merrek Arpin of Calgary, they have eight blue-liners to pick from each night. Burzynski missed time near the end of the season, but it will be a shock if he isn’t in the lineup for Game 1.

“They have a deep back end,” Friesen said. “They have good size and good range. I think they’re comfortable rolling those players with some top-end guys there. They’re a dangerous team with the offensive ability they have up front and with the depth they have on the back end.”

FORWARDS

Luke Mistelbacher (2005, 67gp, 42g, 46a, 88p), Jaxon Jacobson (2008, 63gp, 25g, 60a, 85p), Joby Baumuller (2007, 58gp, 40g, 22a, 62p).

Jordan Gavin (2006, 68gp, 16g, 42a, 58p), Nick Johnson (2005, 68gp, 22g, 31a, 53p), Caleb Hadland (2006, 56gp, 15g, 29a, 44p).

Chase Surkan (2009, 45gp, 20g, 18a, 38p), Brady Turko (2007, 66gp, 18g, 18a, 36p), Prabh Bhathal (2009, 63gp, 8g, 23a, 31p).

Jimmy Egan (2008, 68gp, 4g, 18a, 22p), Brett Wilson (2006, 18gp, 3g, 5a, 8p), Gunnar Gleasman (2007, 46gp, 5g, 0a, 5p), Ryan Boyce (2008, 34gp, 0g, 3a, 3p).

(Injured players who won’t skate in the series aren’t included. The missing Wheat Kings are Carter Klippenstein and Easton Odut, who are both out long term with upper-body injuries.)

“They have a really deep forward group and a dangerous forward group,” Friesen said. “Obviously they have some high-end players who know how to put the puck in the net. They also have a good combination of players who know how to work and play hard.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Calgary has both a better power play (31.7 per cent to 23.6 per cent) and penalty kill (79.2 per cent to 75.2 per cent) although both squads scored just two shorthanded goal each in the regular season, which was tied for fewest in the league.

Even so, Friesen is wary of Brandon’s top players

“I think both teams are pretty strong on both power play and the PK,” Friesen said. “In playoffs it’s extremely important. The details get magnified more and more in playoffs. With their forwards, they have some good high end there with Jacobson, Mistelbacher, Baumuller, Burzynski on the back end and Gavin, so that’s good depth and they have dangerous players on the power play.

“Discipline is going to be important. They have some good workers up front and on the back end who know what it takes to kill penalties. I think they’re strong on both sides of it.”

SERIES FORMAT

The one other wrinkle in the series is the 2-3-2 format with the series starting and ending in Calgary, with the three games in Virden sandwiched in the middle.

Friesen likes that decision because it cuts down on the number of 1,044-km drives required between Scotiabank Saddledome and Tundra Oil and Gas Place.

“With the distance, it’s the right move,” Friesen said. “The distance for both teams and the wear and tear that takes on teams throughout the course of the playoffs, on top of the intensity and another level of play. You add the travel and that adds another dimension to a playoff series.”

And maybe playing the three middle games out of Calgary actually playing to his team’s advantage.

“If you look at the series itself, our past four games with Brandon, the road team has won all four,” Friesen said. “Both teams are comfortable playing on the road and both teams feel confident playing at home. To me it comes down to which team is going to execute at the highest level.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com