Pearce, Johnson ready for return to Prince Albert

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This article was published 29/10/2021 (1659 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

During his time as a Prince Albert Raider, Eric Pearce would be among those who would catch up with former teammates when they made their first trip back to the Art Hauser Centre.

The 20-year-old Regina product will find out the other side of that experience tonight as the Brandon Wheat Kings forward plays his old team for the first time since being traded on Oct. 14.

“It’s going to be a little weird,” Pearce said following a practice at Westoba Place Wednesday afternoon. “I played there my entire junior career and I never sat on the other bench, except for during training camp scrimmages and things like that. 

“It’ll be good to see some of my friends that I’ve kept in touch with since coming to Brandon and my billet family in Prince Albert. It was short notice that I got to say bye to everybody there so it’ll be great to hopefully catch up with everyone once again.”

A second-round pick in the 2016 Western Hockey League bantam draft, Pearce recorded 41 points in 197 games for the Raiders.

Since coming to Brandon, he’s posted four assists in four games.

“It’s been a good transition so far,” Pearce said. “The guys have been super helpful and the coaches have been really awesome in teaching me the ways here.

“It’s always different coming from a team that you’ve been with for so long and you are learning all of the new systems, but it’s gone well.”

The only drawback to Pearce’s time with the Wheat Kings was their recent three-game road trip in Alberta.

They suffered 9-2 and 7-1 setbacks to the Edmonton Oil Kings and Red Deer Rebels before losing a narrow 3-2 contest against the Calgary Hitmen Sunday.

“Obviously those games didn’t go the way that we wanted them to, but I really liked the effort that we had in our last game against Calgary,” Pearce said. 

“That was the first time that half of our team had played a three-in-three weekend before and I think that’s something that will be good for us in the long-term as we go forward.”

In addition to Pearce, Wheat Kings rookie forward Trae Johnson returns to familiar surroundings today.

The 16-year-old suited up in five games for the Prince Albert Mintos of the Saskatchewan Male Under-18 AAA Hockey League last fall when play came to a sudden halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was there practising with the team for about three or four months before we found out that the season was going to be cancelled in January,” Johnson said. 

“It’s going to be pretty cool to be back at the Hauser. I loved playing there and I loved my time with the Mintos. They are a first-class organization.”

While he’s still searching for his first career point in the WHL, Johnson has been able to keep in contact with his former teammates in Prince Albert as they get used to life in major junior hockey.

“I’ve texted with (Regina Pats forward) Tanner Howe a little bit along with (blue-liner) Nate Misskey has been going back and forth between the Mintos and the Victoria Royals so far this year,” Johnson said. 

“We’re all pretty busy so we don’t get to talk as much as we would like to, but I know both guys have been enjoying their time in the WHL so far and I’m really happy for both of them.”  

Johnson already had the chance to play in front of friends and family earlier this month as the Wheat Kings paid a visit to the Saskatoon Blades at the SaskTel Centre, just 15 minutes south of his hometown of Martensville.

“I got to see a few familiar faces after the game and my mom and dad both told me that some of my teachers and some people that I knew growing up had came out to watch me,” Johnson said. “It was a pretty cool feeling to have everyone there cheering me on.

“The support that we’ve gotten so far when we’ve been at other rinks has been awesome. It’s too bad that we couldn’t get some wins for them last weekend, but it was pretty nice to have so many people following us around.”

Friday’s meeting between the 4-6 Wheat Kings and the 2-7 Raiders will be the first between the two sides since Brandon picked up a 5-2 home triumph on Oct. 8.

Since that time, the Raiders have welcomed back NHL defensive prospects Kaiden Guhle and Nolan Allan to their lineup, in addition to acquiring blue-liner Ross Stanley and forwards Carter Massier and Sloan Stanick in trades, along with adding imports Vladislav Shilo and Tikhon Chaika from Belarus. 

“There’s some things we can take from that game against them earlier this month, but they are obviously going to be a better team with the guys they have now,” Johnson said. “We just need to go in there and play a fast game, along with playing strong on defence.”

“Prince Albert’s team is similar to what people have seen here over the last few years,” Pearce added. “They are a hard-working team that plays with a lot of speed. 

“We just need to make sure that we have our systems down so that we can contain them as much as we can, jump them on the rush and get some goals.”

The two sides square off again Saturday night at Westoba Place.

ICINGS: Rebels defenceman Jace Weir was handed a four-game suspension on Wednesday as a result of a cross-checking major penalty and a game misconduct penalty for a hit he made on Wheat Kings forward Nate Danielson Saturday night. Danielson did not suit up for Brandon in Sunday’s road contest against the Hitmen … The WHL will hold its 2022 prospects draft — for 2007-born players — on May 19. The 2021 draft, which primarily features 2006-born players, is set to take place on Dec. 9 with the U.S. priority draft being held a day earlier. Details on the 2022 U.S. priority draft have yet to be announced … The 11-0 Winnipeg Ice can earn a spot in the league’s history books today. If they can beat the host Edmonton Oil Kings, the Ice match the 1988-89 Swift Current Broncos for the longest win streak to start a WHL season. The league record for the longest unbeaten streak to begin a campaign belongs to the 1978-79 Brandon Wheat Kings, who went 29 games before suffering their first defeat. 

 

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