Big First Propels Wheat Kings to Win

Jayce Hawryluk scored on his first shift in his return
to the Brandon lineup Saturday

  The Brandon Wheat Kings jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead and went on to a 6-3 win over the Regina Pats on Saturday night to open their Eastern Conference quarter-final.

  Jayce Hawryluk returned to the Brandon lineup after missing the final four games of the regular season and opened the scoring on his first shift of the game 3:05 into the opening frame and combined with linemates John Quenneville and Jesse Gabrielle to score three goals and eight points.

  “There were a lot of positive things in the first period,” said Brandon GM/Coach Kelly McCrimmon on CKLQ’s post-game show, “There was a big crowd here tonight and if you can get that kind of start to take their crowd out of it a little bit, I think that is real beneficial.”

  Hawryluk and Gabrielle had a goal and two assists each for Brandon with John Quenneville, Ryan Pulock and Ryan Pilon having a goal and an assist each.

  Brandon chased Regina starting goaltender Dawson McAuley by scoring on four of their first ten shots, being replaced by former Wheat Kings’ prospect Tyler Fuhr after the fourth Brandon goal with 3:14 left in the opening frame.

  Peter Quenneville had the other Brandon goal while Jordan Papirny made 31 saves in the Wheat Kings’ net.

  The Pats had closed to within a pair of goals by scoring twice in the second period, but Brandon captain Ryan Pulock restored a three-goal cushion with a highlight reel end-to-end rush with 3:15 left in the second to help stop Regina’s momentum.

Jordan Papirny - 31 saves

  “Ryan Pulock scoring that fifth goal was a huge goal for our team.  Great effort, obviously, beautiful
goal and gave a little breathing room,” said McCrimmon, “I really felt in the third that our guys got their composure back and played a pretty solid period all around.”

  Dryden Hunt, Connor Gay and Morgan Klimchuk did the scoring for the Pats.

  Game two of the Best-of-Seven series is Sunday night in Regina.

Chaff...Brandon D Eric Roy left game one Saturday midway through the second period and did not return...11 Wheat Kings’ players made their WHL playoff debuts on Saturday...the Pats have been fined an undisclosed amount by the WHL after breaking WHL policy by closing their practices earlier this week.

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