Fayad fires shootout winner in debut

Ahmad Fayad scored the shootout winner in his Western Hockey League debut as the Brandon Wheat Kings remained unbeaten in the young season with a 3-2 victory over the visiting Regina Pats at Assiniboine Credit Union Place on Friday.

Brandon (2-0-0-0) received its goals from Kris Muissu and Joby Baumuller, with Ellis Mieyette and Ossi Tukio replying for Regina (0-1-0-1) in front of a crowd of 2,438.

“It’s unbelievable,” Fayad said. “I asked Cruz (Jim), ‘Am I dreaming right now? That’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray said his club, which beat the Saskatoon Blades 5-4 in their opener a week ago, wasn’t great in the second half either night.

“Our third periods have been very suspect and we’ve relied on (goalie) Ryley Budd way too much in the third period,” Murray said. “Hats off to him, he’s earned two hard victories. It was disappointing third periods both nights and without Ryley, it’s probably a different story.”

The Wheat Kings, who had to kill an early penalty, took six minutes 16 seconds to even get a shot on net in a tentative offensive start to the game as the Pats built a 4-0 edge.

But there’s something to be said for making your opportunities count, and Brandon scored on that first shot 6:14 into the game when Chase Surkan carried the puck in, made a little move and dished the puck across the slot to Muissu for a wicked shot past Regina goalie Taylor Tabashniuk into the top of the net.

It was the Russian overager’s first WHL goal after he led the team in the pre-season with six in four games.

Nine minutes later, Surkan took a hit along the boards in his own end to get the puck out into the neutral zone to Baumuller, who skated down the wing on a partial two-on-one and fired a shot over Tabashniuk’s shoulder to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

The Pats were fortunate not to go down three goals at the 17:45 mark when Tabashniuk came across to steal a backdoor one-timer by Prabh Bhathal. The play went to a video review but there was no conclusive evidence the puck crossed the goal-line under the netminder’s pad, so the no-goal call on the ice stood.

Brandon had another glorious opportunity on a Brady Turko breakaway 95 seconds into middle frame but Tabashniuk made a terrific glove save to keep the game close.

Brandon’s Budd was his team’s best player — Regina nearly doubled its shot total — but Mieyette finally broke through on a wraparound when he banked the puck in off Wheat Kings defender Josh McGregor. The goal came with 4:09 remaining in the middle frame on Regina’s 24th shot.

After 40 minutes, the Pats led 25-16 on the shot clock.

The Pats tied the game 5:13 into the third period off a neutral zone turnover by the Wheat Kings. Tukio raced in on a two-on-one and fired a shot into the top corner for the game-tying goal, which was the first in the WHL for the Finnish defenceman.

He nearly had another one a couple of minutes later off the rush but Budd flashed his glove to keep the game tied.

The Pats were all over the Wheat Kings at different stretches, pinning them in their zone at times and making them play defence. Budd had to be especially sharp with five minutes left when Mieyette was sent in all alone with a stretch pass but he denied the back-hand shot with his blocker.

A Brandon club desperate for something positive to happen offensively didn’t get it as they were outshot 15-4 in the third period.

“The third period wasn’t our best period but we battled through it to the end,” Fayad said. “We got the win. That’s all that matters, 2-0.”

In overtime, in a bit of trivia history, Regina defenceman Matt Paranych carried the puck back over the offensive blue-line into the neutral zone, which sent the puck back into the Pats zone for the next faceoff after a recent rule change.

The best save in overtime also came from Budd, who used his pad to stop a shot by Maddox Schultz after a Brandon turnover in the neutral zone.

In the shootout, Brandon shot first. Surkan and Mieyette scored in the second round, Muissu and Tukio traded goals in the fourth round, Budd was shaken up in the seventh round after Zachary Lansard failed to get a shot on net on the deke and Wheat Kings rookie Levi Ellingsen and Pats forward Samuel Karsay both sniped in the eighth round.

In the ninth round, Fayad skated in and fired a low shot through Tabashniuk’s legs and then Budd denied Connor Bear at the other end for the Brandon victory.

“I was a bit nervous but I thought I had it,” Fayad said. “I took the puck and obviously had a lot of time in a shootout and the goalie was cheating high so I shot it five-hole and it went in.”

Murray said the nine-round shootout made for some interesting decisions.

“I think we went through almost all the forwards, and those young kids have some swagger to their game,” Murray said. “I was happy to see both of them get rewarded with goals.”

Budd made 40 saves for the Wheat Kings, with Tabashniuk stopping 22 shots for the Pats.

Brandon went 0-for-3 on the power play, with Regina unsuccessful in four chances.

“You take a little bit of a shower after the game,” Murray said. “You feel dirty getting those two points but we’ll take them. We know how close the season is and how close the standings are but we know we have to be better. We know we can’t give up that many chances, especially in third periods.”

ICINGS: Brandon skated without injured forwards Cole Hunter and Jimmy Egan. The healthy scratches were D Ethan Young and F Gunnar Gleasman … Goalie Filip Ruzicka is expected back today from National Hockey League camp with the Minnesota Wild … The Brandonite McGregor has points in his first two games with his hometown club … A play early in the second period had to be whistled down when the puck bounced in the air, settled inside the jersey of Mieyette and got stuck in his equipment … Baumuller led the Wheat Kings with four shots on net … The game started at 7:03 and took two hours, 51 minutes to play … In the faceoff circle, Brandon won 39-32 … Brandon next sees action when they visit the Moose Jaw Warriors this evening at 7 p.m. (CDT) … The Prince Albert Raiders added overage D Jordan Murray of Decker to their roster this week. Murray, who had been playing with the BCHL’s Okotoks Oilers, made his debut against the Saskatoon Blades on Friday night.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com