Ruzicka stands tall as Wheaties edge Giants

Filip Ruzicka made three saves in the shootout after stopping 35 shots in regulation and overtime as the Brandon Wheat Kings edged the Vancouver Giants 2-1 in Western Hockey League action at Langley Events Centre on Tuesday.

Brandon (4-2-0-0) received its goal from Jaxon Jacobson, with Kaleb Hartmann replying for Vancouver (2-2-1-1) in front of a crowd of 2,527.

Wheat Kings head coach and general manager Marty Murray said it wasn’t his team’s best effort but Ruzicka was huge.

“I thought first half of the game, we didn’t give up a ton,” Murray said. “I wouldn’t say we generated a ton but it was kind of just a road game we would probably take. I thought we got tired in the second half of the game and back on our heels and sloppy with the puck and we were fortunate our goaltending was outstanding tonight.”

Brandon is now 2-1-0-0 on the trip after a 3-1 loss to the Prince George Cougars on Friday and a 6-2 victory over the Victoria Royals on Sunday. They face the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday at 9 p.m. (CT).

The Giants nearly opened the scoring five minutes into the game on an ugly one. Just after killing a penalty, the puck came into the Brandon zone and on the forecheck, the skate of Giants forward Brogan McNeil accidentally touched that of Ruzicka and knocked the big goalie down as McNeil raced across the crease.

The puck popped out and Joe Iginla flipped the puck into the empty net, but it didn’t take long for the referees to rule it was no goal due to the contact.

The referees went back to the penalty box to review another play soon after when Wheat Kings forward Levi Ellingsen cross checked a Giant into the end boards. It was judged to be a minor penalty but Brandon killed off its second penalty in three minutes.

Brandon dodged another bullet when they got casual on the power play and gave up a two-on-one. Jakob Oreskovic beat Ruzicka high on the blocker but dinged the shot off the post.

Half the opening period was spent with one of the two teams on the man advantage: Vancouver goalie Burke Hood of Brandon was the busier goalie, turning away 12 shots, while Ruzicka faced seven.

The game finally began to open up in the second period.

Hood made his best save on his former under-18 AAA teammate Brady Turko when he stretched across the net with his pad to deny a quick shot, and the Giants narrowly missed on a chance of their own when the puck went back up the ice.

Brandon finally opened the scoring 13 minutes 36 seconds into the middle frame when Jacobson displayed some incredible patience on his team’s fourth power play. He skated slowly out of the corner with the puck threatening pass and then snapped a shot over his former teammate Hood’s shoulder.

“You probably go ‘Move the puck! Move the puck!’ but he’s a smart player and recognized that the guy he was attacking had no stick,” Murray said. “He made a good play and kind of sold the shot fake and there was a bit of traffic and then made a heckuva shot short side shelf.”

Jacobson had another great chance to score midway through the third period but his stick shattered as he tried to shoot. To make matters worse, Brandon took a penalty when the play went back up the ice.

Vancouver’s power play buzzed but had a narrow miss on a one-timer by Blake Chorney and the Wheat Kings had two big shot blocks.

The Giants tied the game with 4:10 left in regulation on a one-time blast from the point by Hartmann through traffic, sending the game to overtime.

Wheat Kings forward Joby Baumuller had two great chances, going in on a partial breakaway that was saved by Hood, and a second time on a two-on-one when the sniper elected to shoot.

Ruzicka then made a fine stop on Anaheim Ducks prospect Mathis Preston at the other end.

In the shootout, the big Russian forward Kris Muissu came in very slowly, went hard one way and then came back the other to score.

Surkan and Jacobson were stopped, but at the other end, Preston, Tobias Tomik and Iginla were all denied as Ruzicka extended his WHL career shootout shutout streak to 12 shooters.

Ruzicka made 35 saves for the Wheat Kings and was named first star, with Hood stopping 29 shots for the Giants and being named second star.

“I thought both Hood and Filip were outstanding,” Murray said. “They made some big saves at crucial times for their respective teams, and both guys gave their team more than a chance to win. I can’t speak for their staff, but that’s what we ask for from our goalies, is to give us a chance to win, and Filip did that and some tonight.”

Brandon went 1-for-5 on the power play, with Vancouver unsuccessful in four chances.

It’s the second game in a row Brandon has won the special-teams battle, and just the second of the season.

“There is a lot of pressure in the early parts of the year with both special teams, and it’s back-to-back games where we scored a power-play goal,” Murray said. “On the road, you’re tired and you rely on your special teams to get the goal on the power play tonight, and it was equally as important to do a good job on the PK.”

ICINGS: Brandon skated without injured D Ilari Kapanen, F Cole Hunter and F Jimmy Egan, plus healthy scratches D Easten Turko and F Hudson Landmark … There was a delay of several minutes 2:37 into the second period after a problem developed with the lighting … Jacobson took a knee-on-knee hit from veteran defenceman Derek Thurston late in the second period that looked like it hurt … Jacobson, Surkan and Baumuller led the Wheat Kings with four shots each on net … The game took two hours, 54 minutes to play … In the faceoff circle, the Wheat Kings won 36-29.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

 

LATE TUESDAY

Wheat Kings 2, Giants 1 (SO)

First Period

No Scoring.

Penalties — Grieco Van (holding) 2:12, B. Turko Bdn (roughing) 6:40, Ellingsen Bdn (boarding) 9:55, Fayad Bdn (roughing) 9:55, Kovich Van (roughing) 9:55, Pederson Van (cross checking) 14:27, Hartmann Van (cross checking) 17:12.

Second Period

1. Brandon, Jacobson 2 (Surkan, Muissu) 13:36 (pp).

Penalties — Boehm Bdn (unsportsmanlike conduct) 6:23, Boyce Bdn (roughing) 11:57, Armstrong Van (cross checking, 10-minute misconduct) 11:57, Thurston Van (roughing) 11:57, Thurston Van (kneeing) 18:54.

Third Period

2. Vancouver, Hartmann 1 (Preston, Oreskovic) 15:50.

Penalties — Jim Bdn (tripping) 11:03.

Overtime

No Scoring.

Penalties — None.

Shootout — Brandon wins 1-0.

Brandon: Muissu goal, Surkan miss, Jacobson miss.

Vancouver: Preston miss, Tomik miss, Iginla miss.

Shots on goal by

Brandon 12 10 5 3 — 30

Vancouver 7 14 10 5 — 36

Goal — Brandon: Ruzicka (SOW, 2-1-0-0). Vancouver: Hood (SOL, 1-1-0-1).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Brandon: 1-5; Vancouver: 0-4.

Referees — Colby Georgsen, Corey Koop.

Linesmen — Nathan Howes, Isaac La Roy.

Attendance — 2,527 in Langley, B.C.