Monday 11 November 2013

Wheat Kings Beat Hurricanes 5-3 in Brandon

BRANDON, MB - The Brandon Wheat Kings scored four times in the 3rd period as they came back to beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-3 Monday afternoon.

An up and down kind of first period in this game. The Wheat Kings came out flying, looking to open the scoring, but Corbin Boes came through with a number of top notch saves to keep Brandon off the score sheet. The Hurricanes had a couple of power plays in the first period, but were unable to score on either of those. Late in the period, the Wheaties picked up their play again and went on the man advantage. They would open the scoring with the power play when Richard Nejezchleb beat Boes after a flurry of action in front of the Lethbridge goal. That would give them a 1-0 lead on the Hurricanes through 20 minutes of play. Brandon held an 18-8 edge in shots.

In the second, a different Hurricanes team came out the dressing room. The Canes were able to shake off that late first period goal and settled down in a big way. They Hurricanes ended up tying the game half way through the period, when Kolten Olynek tipped in a Russ Maxwell shot on the power play for his 2nd goal of the season. That evened the score at 1-1. That didn't last long as the Hurricanes would take their first lead of the afternoon just 26 seconds later. Corbin Boes played the puck to Joel Topping and fed a pass ahead to Jamal Watson and he fired a shot short-side, beating Jordan Papirny giving Lethbridge a 2-1 lead. That was Watson's 6th goal of the season. The Canes held on to that one goal lead through 40 minutes. They also cut into the shots on goal, as the Wheaties held a 30-21 edge.

In the third, the Wheaties would come out gunning. A power play goal by Peter Quenneville just over a minute in would tie the game at 2-2. Two minutes later, Brandon would take the lead again, this time on another goal by Richard Nejezchleb, his second of the game to give the Wheaties a 3-2 lead. The Canes kept battling back. Another power play goal by Lethbridge, this one off the stick of Macoy Erkamps, his 3rd of the year and that tied the game at 3-3. The Wheat Kings though would keep pressing late and they would end up going ahead for good when Richard Nejezchleb scored his 3rd of the game to make it 4-3 Brandon and the Wheaties would seal it with an empty net goal by Jens Meilleur to give them a 5-3 victory. The loss drops the Canes overall record to 2-17-1-2 and extends their losing skid to 10 straight games. The Hurricanes power play was good once again, going 2/5 in this game. Brandon went 2/4. The Wheat Kings out shot Lethbridge 43-29.

Injured Hurricanes

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are battling the injury bug right now. Four regulars were out of the line-up Monday afternoon in Brandon. Both Riley Sheen and Reid Duke have missed the past two games for the Canes. Carter Amson has been out the past couple of weeks and Josh Derko was a late scratch prior to the game.

Next Up

The Hurricanes next action is Tuesday (Nov. 12) when they play the Warriors in Moose Jaw. This will be the second of 4 meetings this season between the clubs. The Warriors beat the Canes back in Lethbridge a few weeks ago so the Hurricanes will be hoping for a bit of payback. Lethbridge returns home Saturday night (Nov. 16) when they take on the Red Deer Rebels for the second time in one week. Game time from Moose Jaw Tuesday is 6:00 pm MST. The pre-game show on CJOC at 5:30.

Thanks,
Pat

13 comments:

  1. Considering the players that were NOT in this game, pretty awesome result for the Canes!

    The Good, the Bad, and the WTF??

    Wong - Blocking multiple shots from Pulock (100mph. Taking multiple mitts and hits to the head, and going hard and strong after the puck, making a difference every shift.

    Olynek – Continues to impress me. Great skill and head for the game. Competes hard despite being outsized in every battle. Nice deflection on Maxwell shot for a goal, and he created opportunities battling with BWK massive defenders.

    Boes - Played good enough to win this game. Nothing spectacular, but made some very good stops. The shots that beat him would have got past most to all tenders.


    Blomqvist - Underachieving coaster. Continues to drive me nuts! HOW can THIS be the signed player on this team?? He plays as if he is scared of anyone touching him, so he doesn`t engage in ANY battle in any area of the ice. When the going gets tough, Axel gets going…. As far as possible from the puck. He does nothing to compete for the puck with the extra skater, and with TWO glorious chances in the slot to tie the game, he blows both. He certainly doesn`t seem to match the type of player the coaches SAY that they want on this team. Trade him to a team where he is surrounded by big players that play big and compete for pucks, so he can stand in the slot and wait for his chances.

    ?? Coach – After the empty net goal where Bandon goes up by 2, Brandon immediately takes an icing with 0:40+ left. WHY the %/&* IS YOUR TENDER BACK IN THE NET!!?? – Score off that offensive draw, and you STILL HAVE A CHANCE!!

    ?? DISGRACEFUL UNQUALIFIED Officials – During Foulk`s penalty kill. The Canes defenders are playing hard on the board in their own end, and for several seconds, they are doing an absolutely masterful job of competing and tying up the puck against the boards to kill the penalty, and the MORONIC ref decides that this is somehow a problem for HIM. No cane FELL on the puck. It was still in plain view, but the Kings were tired and not strong enough to get it away from the defenders. It was fantastic!! But, he blows the play dead to give the undeserving Wheat Kings a face off, and a change of staff for their struggling powerplay. ABSOLUTELY STUPID. Is it now against the rules of hockey to keep the puck away from your opponent by competing for the puck on the boards ON THE PENALTYKILL? If this were a home team player in any zone killing this penalty, he would have received a standing ovation in every WHL arena for his efforts… It certainly would not be whistled down for a faceoff! … The Wheat Kings scored shortly after the face off,… while still on this PP.

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    1. I agree with everything but your opening statement. If one and two goal loses are considered "awesome" results something is very broken. They were not with anyone of real value, Duke just isn't getting it done this season, for whatever reason and Derko has no impact on the outcome of the games.
      Derek Sutton

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  2. To Derek Sutton. In response to your post @ 16:11 yesterday. Not to say your thoughts about the Canes are wrong, but I think your definition of “turning the corner” may be incorrect.
    A View from Above (10 November 2013 08:05) said: “Looks like the boys are starting to turn the corner.”
    Then two for high sticking (10 November 2013 11:48) said: “Yes, they got to the *corner* at the end of the second period with those quick two goals to get within one.”
    Your response was: “To me turning the corner means being a contender year in and year out, developing future pro players, maybe an NHL draft pick here and there.”
    The idiom, or in a manner of speaking, TURNING A CORNER, is loosely defined as such: When something or someone turns the corner, their situation IS STARTING TO IMPROVE after a difficult period.
    A View from Above has it pretty much bang on. “The team is starting to turn the corner.” The Canes have barely even entered the corner, but they are oh so close to getting to the point where they turn that corner. Does that mean they are gonna win their next 5 games. Hahaha .. not even close.
    Derek, you say a team turning the corner means being a contender year in and year out. To me that describes a team that has long gone past the corner and is racing down the home stretch. A team is not even close to being a contender until they are miles and mile past said corner, and not still stuck in the start of that corner.
    It is all semantics, and Derek you are bang on in your overall statement … and that is the Canes still suck hard! Wherever the Canes are in the corner, THEY ARE MILES FROM THE FINISH LINE.
    Just my thoughts. Not trying to belittle anyone as everything posted here is just what people think about the Canes.
    canesrock

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    1. Tomato, tamata. How are people finding so many positives in this? Again today they give up 40+/- shots and the media is calling it a good effort. Has there been a game yet where they have actually out shot the opposition?

      To say they are close to turning the corner is false. Their car is broken down in an abandon parking lot, stripped of all it parts waiting to be crushed.
      Derek Sutton

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    2. "Derek",
      1. We FIND positives because we are fans and supporters of this YOUNG team... but hey, go ahead and be negative... I'm willing to guess you've never been a parent or a coach...

      2. Yes the Canes outshot Brandon last weekend...

      3. I almost wanted to recommend you go support another team but the fact your "name" is in reference to a mid-1980's hockey movie leads me to believe you'll "happily" live and die as a Canes fan.

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    3. 1. your wrong about that
      2. So once in the last 18 games they outshot their opponent by two, I'm suprised that they didnt consider that one a win
      3. I miss whatever point you were trying to make

      I'm a fan not a fanatic. There are so many holes in this team that need fixing, anyone can see that and for people to ignore it is just asinine. I want to see them win, I want to see them compete. I want to see them develop pro players. Until these things start to happen they can expect to be criticized, have players walk out on them, and basically get no respect. The worst part is is that here we are 22 games into the season and the "systems" are not working (or the players haven't figured them out yet), the team does not give a 60 min effort (you can ask players and coaches about that one) and the season is over, by that I mean they will not make play offs.

      "Lethbridge Hurricanes, number 1 supplier of players to the U of L" (who are also last in the league).
      Derek Sutton

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  3. I have and always will back this team but I can no longer back these coaches. I am sure there have been some in the past but what hockey team was ever allowed their coach to take them to only 2 wins in 22 games and kept him on the job? This is beyond ridiculous. How they could possibly think starting Boes again today was a good idea is beyond me. Face it, this experiment with the rookie coaches just isn't working. It is time to do the right thing and move on.
    David

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    1. David. This was Boes 1st game his old home rink. I would suggest that any coach who did not start Boes in this game should be drawn and quartered.

      After listening to Pat's play by play call ... I don't think (as matter of fact I know) that Boes was not the problem.

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  4. Blomquist? I still don't get it. He is so inconsistent offensively, and a huge liability defensively. He adversely affects his line mates.
    I don't know why he is played so much and I will never figure out what the Jets see in him.
    Missed two great opportunities today which would have helped. But he was heard saying," Oh titta, jag har pucken. Kommer att filma nu!
    Translation from the Muppets Swedish chef; "oh look I have the puck, going to shoot now!"

    Dump'n Chase

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  5. Why are the Hurricanes the only team in the WHL that do not show the player's photos on their roster list.? I s this their policy or is there some other reason?

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    1. Just wondering why you are asking on here, why not call the Hurricane office and ask them. If you are wondering, there must be others.

      Free advice

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    2. I remember seeing on their Twitter & Facebook that they and the PA Raiders were having problems getting their pictures on. Not sure when you last looked but both teams photos were up late last week.

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  6. I'm pumped. Canes streak ends tonight. The team is officially sick and tired of being losers, and they know they can win. I Can hardly wait. Hopefully the WebTV is decent quality tonight!

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