The Brandon Wheat Kings defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-3 in a Western Hockey League game Friday night at Westoba Place in Manitoba.
This was the T-Birds’ first game of a six-game road trip to the East Division. Seattle has lost its last seven games.
Keltie Jeri-Leon, Zach Ashton, Conner Roulette and Roddy Ross made their T-Birds debuts. Jeri-Leon was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Jan. 1, and Ashton was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades on Jan. 2. Ross, who signed with the T-Birds on Jan. 1, came on in relief of goalie Cole Schwebius 4:32 into the second period. Conner Roulette, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was selected by the T-Birds in the second round, 36th overall, in the 2018 Bantam Draft and was called up as an affiliate player.
Seattle cut a 2-0 Brandon lead to one at 11:07 of the first on the power-play. Payton Mount had the puck in the left circle and centered to Simon Kubicek in the high slot. Kubicek crossed the puck to Noah Philp at the top of the right circle. Philp skated at the Brandon net and took a hard wrist shot, beating goalie Jiri Patera low for his 12th goal of the season.
Brecon Wood scored his first goal as a T-Bird at 3:46 of the third period. Philp carried the puck behind the Brandon net and centered to Wood on top of the crease. Wood banged the puck past Patera for the goal. Tyler Carpendale had the second assist.
Philp struck for a second goal at 6:49 of the third. Kubicek got the puck to Philp all alone in front of Patera. Philp stickhandled and beat the goalie around the left pad.
Brandon got a hat trick from Luka Burzan and two goals from Cole Reinhardt. Connor Gutenberg and Chase Hartje each had a goal for the Wheat Kings.
Seattle outshot Brandon 40-35 in the game.
Schwebius had nine saves on 13 shots. Ross had 19 saves on 22 shots.
Patera made 38 saves on 40 shots.
Road trip continues
The T-Birds face the Regina Pats in Saskatchewan at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The road trip continues against the Saskatoon Blades on Tuesday and the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday.
The last two games on the road trip are Friday against the Moose Jaw Warriors and Saturday against the Swift Current Broncos.
The T-Birds’ next home game is 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, against the Victoria Royals at the accesso ShoWare Center. Single-game tickets are on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare box office.
Fans who purchase the 24-flex ticket package will be able to select any available premium seat for any game, in any ticket combination, during the 2018-19 season.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Brandon, Reinhardt 8 (Schneider, Hartje), 3:40 (pp). 2, Brandon, Burzan 20, 9:21. 3, Seattle, Philp 12 (Kubicek, Mount), 11:07 (pp). Penalties – Bauer, Sea (cross checking), 2:09. Iorio, Bwk (interference), 11:07.
Second period – 4, Brandon, Gutenberg 10 (McCorrister), 1:12. 5, Brandon Burzan 21 (Reinhardt, Wytinck), 4:32. 6, Brandon, Reinhardt 9 (Hartje, Burzan), 9:49. 7, Brandon, Burzan 22 (Gutenberg, Mattheos), 13:59 (pp). Penalties – Lee, Sea (tripping), 13:22. Kubicek, Sea (major-fighting), 15:32. McCorrister, Bwk Sea (major-fighting), 15:32. Schaufler, Sea (major-fighting, game misconduct), 15:32. Wytinck, Bwk (major-fighting, game misconduct), 15:32. Jeri-Leon, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 16:34. Kaluski, Sea (roughing), 16:34. Volcan, Sea (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:34. Burzan, Bwk (roughing), 16:34. Mattheos, Bwk (roughing), 16:34. Salame, Bwk (10-minute misconduct), 16:34.
Third period – 8, Seattle, Wood 2 (Philp, Carpendale), 3:46. 9, Brandon, Hartje 4 (Burzan, Mattheos), 4:36. 9, Seattle, Philp 13 (Kubicek), 6:49. Penalties – Carpendale, Sea (interference), 16:34.
Shots on goal – Seattle 15-14-11 40, Brandon 10-16-9 35. Goalies – Seattle, Schwebius 13 shots-9 saves (1-4-1-0), Ross 22-19; Brandon, Patera 40-38 (12-8-2-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-1; Brandon 2-4. A – 3,655. Referees – Adam Bloski, Adam Byblow. Linesmen – Andrew Strummers, Daryl Surminski.
