Wheaties remain confident after OT losses

If the Brandon Wheat Kings were playing with horseshoes instead of hockey sticks, their two close losses to the Calgary Hitmen might have been useful.

Instead, the Wheat Kings are down 2-0 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series as it moves to Virden’s Tundra Oil and Gas Place for Game 3 this evening at 7 o’clock.

“It was a little deflated,” captain Caleb Hadland said of the dressing room after Sunday’s loss. “It’s tough when you get that close. We could be up 2-0 in the series but we came out of there down two.

“I don’t think anyone is deflated. We’ve had talks since then and everyone still has their mojo in the room and we’re still banding together.

“We’re ready for these next couple of games here in Virden.”

The Wheat Kings fell 1-0 in triple overtime on Friday in a defensive battle that showcased the abilities of Wheat Kings goalie Filip Ruzicka and Hitmen netminder Eric Tu. On Sunday, the offences came alive and the Hitmen eked out a 6-5 victory midway through the first period of extra time.

Ethan Moore played the Western Hockey League hero both nights by scoring the winner.

“Our first game was about as close as you can get in a game,” overage defenceman Grayson Burzynski said. “Both teams had endless chances to end it and the goalies played well on both sides. (Sunday) night, if we don’t come out slow to start like we did, we take that game easily. We had a chance to seal it at the end as well.

“Our game Sunday should really give us confidence that we can play and win this series.”

Hadland is equally optimistic.

“It was a couple of weird games for sure,” Hadland said. “They were high scoring and low scoring but if we just stick to what we know and keep playing both sides of the ice for a full 200-foot game, then things will turn around for us.”

The start to Sunday’s game might provide both a cautionary tale and a source of inspiration for Brandon. In the first period, Calgary outshot the Wheat Kings 15-3 and outscored them 2-0 as they controlled the play.

Incredibly, Brandon had two power plays in that 20-minute span and still had little to show for it.

“That was a pretty bad start for us,” Hadland said. “It’s something we don’t want. It kills momentum if we don’t start the game early. Coming out strong, maybe it’s changing the routines or doing something a little different to make sure we’re ready for puck drop.”

At the same time, Brandon scored five goals in 16 minutes straddling the second and third periods, so they were able to rebound.

After trailing 2-0, they actually led 5-3 in the third period. But as the hockey gods gaveth to Brandon, they also did a lot of taketh-ing away, with Calgary scoring on the power play and then banking a shot in off captain Axel Hurtig with a minute left to tie.

“Especially after the triple OT loss, that was a hard one to come back from,” Burzynski said. “That might be the reason we came out so flat (on Sunday). How well we played in the second half of Sunday’s game really gives our team hope. Everyone is still full of confidence that we’re going to win this series.”

Even their bus ride went into overtime due to treacherous highway conditions as the Wheat Kings made the trip home after Sunday evening’s game. The bus finally pulled into Brandon around 12:30 on Monday afternoon, which included a stop in Virden to drop off their equipment.

“It’s definitely nice to be home,” Burzynski said. “We were on the road from Wednesday on so it’s nice to be in our own beds and more of what we’re used to. I guess it is a little bit different in Virden but it’s a little more normalcy being at home. It should be nice for us.”

If the two-game deficit sounds like it’s following a familiar script for a Wheat Kings quarterfinal series, you’re right. The Wheat Kings lost the first two games on the road against the Lethbridge Hurricanes a year ago and to the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2024.

They haven’t won a road game in a quarterfinal playoff series since 2022 — a 2-1 overtime decision over the Red Deer Rebels in Game 2 — after also dropping the opening pair to the Medicine Hat Tigers in both 2017 and 2018.

Even in the championship year in 2016, they fell behind 2-0 to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings in the first round.

Brandon hasn’t emerged 2-0 on the road in the opening series since they beat the Regina Pats 6-3 and 8-4 way back in 2014.

To put that into perspective, Brandon callups Cruz Jim and Ahmad Fayad both turned four that year.

“It’s playoffs and the games are a lot tougher and a lot different than the regular season,” Hadland said. “We learned that we can’t just come in thinking we’re going to win, we have to work for it and understand it’s not going to be easy. If we stick together and play our game, then we can get it done.”

With the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair taking over the Keystone Centre, the Wheat Kings are once again forced out of their building, and will be making the trip to Virden for the second year in a row.

Burzynski, who grew up in Winnipeg, finds humour in the situation.

“The Brandon fair is obviously very iconic,” Burzynski said. “I used to come as a kid. It’s kind of funny that now during the spring break for all the elementary and high school kids that they can do and we get kicked out of our building because of it. “It’s funny how things work out.”

Game 4 is on Thursday and a potential Game 5 is on Friday, both starting at 7 p.m.

If necessary, Game 6 is back in Calgary on Sunday at 6 p.m. and Game 7 is on Tuesday at 8 p.m.

WEEKLY AWARDS

Not surprisingly, 18-year-old Calgary forward Julien Maze of Edmonton was named the WHL’s player of the week after scoring once and adding five assists in the Hitmen’s 6-5 victory on Sunday.

The goaltender of the week is 18-year-old Kelowna Rockets netminder Harrison Boettiger of Wheat Ridge, Colo., who won his two starts while posting a 1.00 goals-against average and .962 save percentage against the Kamloops Blazers.

The rookie of the week is 16-year-old Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Brock Cripps of Victoria, who had two goals and two assists as his team jumped out to a 2-0 series lead over the visiting Red Deer Rebels.

SUSPENSIONS DROP

The league has already suspended two players after the first weekend of the playoffs.

Everett Silvertips defenceman Kayd Ruedig of Humboldt, Sask., received one game for a charging major and game misconduct versus the Portland Winterhawks in Game 1 on Friday.

In addition, Spokane Chiefs forward Assanali Sarkenov of Astana, Kazakhstan received two games for a checking-to-the-head major and game misconduct versus the Prince George Cougars in Game 1 on Friday.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com