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| Rihards Bukarts |
The Brandon Wheat Kings have gotten great offensive production from their two import players so far this season.
Richard Nejezchleb leads the team with 29 goals and is sixth team scoring with 46 points in 58 games, and Rihards Bukarts is currently third in rookie scoring in the Western Hockey League with 49 points including 23 goals.
The duo are two of seven Brandon players with 40 or more points and two of five Wheat Kings’ players to have reach 20 or more goals this season.
“I think I’m playing really good this half, and trying to take the things that I’ve learned from the first half,” said Bukart earlier this week, “I think my second half since Christmas break has been really good, and I’m trying to be even better.”
Bukarts has 12 goals and 25 points in 22 games during the second half of the season including two goals and six points in four games since returning from a six-game absence due to an upper body injury.
“Kind of had two hard practices and working hard in the gym. I don’t want to say I’m in the best shape right now, but I’m feeling better like last game, I was getting pretty good,” said Bukarts, “ I’m hoping everything going to be good and I’ll be in shape.”
During Wednesday’s 6-2 home-ice victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Bukarts was re-united on a line with four-year veterans Chad Robinson and Jens Meileur.
The trio seem to play their best when playing together and combined for two goals and seven points on Wednesday night.
“When I’m playing with (Robinson) and Jens, I’m feeling really good. I’m confident about myself, I know what these guys are going to do with me, I know where they’re going to go,” said Bukarts, “I feel really great and really excited when I’m playing with them.”
Bukarts is also about to hit some rare territory.
The Wheat Kings have had only two imports score more than 50 points in a single season in the last 14 years, Toni Rajala in 2009-2010 and Juraj Simek in 2006-2007.
Chaff...F Wade Allison, a seventh round pick of the Wheat Kings in the 2012 Bantam Draft, has committed to attend Western Michigan next season. The 6-foot-1, 200 pound Allison is playing for the Omaha AAA U16 team this season.
Chaff...F Wade Allison, a seventh round pick of the Wheat Kings in the 2012 Bantam Draft, has committed to attend Western Michigan next season. The 6-foot-1, 200 pound Allison is playing for the Omaha AAA U16 team this season.
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