Triton
03-22-2006, 09:29 AM
Brandon, Manitoba -- For the second straight season, the Brandon Wheat Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors are set to kick off the Western Hockey League playoffs against one another.
However, things have changed a little since the spring of 2005 when the Wheat Kings defeated Moose Jaw four games to one en route to winning their first Eastern Conference Championship title in seven years.
One year ago, the Wheat Kings had caught fire in the second half of the season to overtake Saskatoon and capture their third Eastern Division regular season pennant in four years. The Warriors meanwhile had snuck into the playoffs after winning just fourteen of 72 regular season games.
Brandon was led by the likes of WHL Scoring Champion Eric Fehr and veterans Ryan Stone, Steven Later and Tim Konsorada, who was unable to play a game in the opening round due to a bad shoulder.
This year, the Wheat Kings go in as the underdogs after clinching their thirteenth playoff appearance in the past fourteen years. Brandon played .600 hockey (25-16-2-3) during the final four months of the regular season to finish fourth in the WHL's Eastern Division, with a record of 30-32-6-4, good for 70 points.
As for the Warriors, this year's club took the Eastern Division pennant for the second time in three years, finishing with an impressive 44-20-5-3 mark, good for 96 points.
Despite the fact Moose Jaw finished twenty-six points in front of the Wheat Kings in this year's standings, the two teams split the eight game season series, with each team winning four times including three on home ice.
As well, Brandon has history on its side as they continue preparations for the series, scheduled to open this weekend with games on Friday and Saturday nights in Moose Jaw. Including last year's 5-game series, the Wheat Kings have 22 of 37 playoff decisions between the two. As well, Brandon has won four of six playoff series - 2005, 2003 and 1995.
In the '77 playoffs, Bill Derlago and the Wheat Kings defeated the Winnipeg Warriors five games to two in a best of nine series and way back in '68, it was the Moose Jaw Canucks over Brandon four games to three.
The only time that the Warriors have defeated Brandon in a WHL playoff series came back in 1997 when Donovan Nunweiler backstopped Moose Jaw to a 6-game series win over the defending champion Wheat Kings, led by League Most Valuable Player Peter Schaefer.
In addition to history, the Wheat Kings also have an advantage when it comes to playoff experience. Brandon players have combined for 381 playoff games - twenty-four of them coming from 18-year old netminder Tyler Plante. A second round draft choice of the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers, Plante was simply sensational last spring, compiling a 2.94 goals against average and a stellar .911 save percentage as Brandon defeated the Warriors, Calgary Hitmen and Prince Albert Raiders before losing out to Kelowna in the League Finals.
However, things have changed a little since the spring of 2005 when the Wheat Kings defeated Moose Jaw four games to one en route to winning their first Eastern Conference Championship title in seven years.
One year ago, the Wheat Kings had caught fire in the second half of the season to overtake Saskatoon and capture their third Eastern Division regular season pennant in four years. The Warriors meanwhile had snuck into the playoffs after winning just fourteen of 72 regular season games.
Brandon was led by the likes of WHL Scoring Champion Eric Fehr and veterans Ryan Stone, Steven Later and Tim Konsorada, who was unable to play a game in the opening round due to a bad shoulder.
This year, the Wheat Kings go in as the underdogs after clinching their thirteenth playoff appearance in the past fourteen years. Brandon played .600 hockey (25-16-2-3) during the final four months of the regular season to finish fourth in the WHL's Eastern Division, with a record of 30-32-6-4, good for 70 points.
As for the Warriors, this year's club took the Eastern Division pennant for the second time in three years, finishing with an impressive 44-20-5-3 mark, good for 96 points.
Despite the fact Moose Jaw finished twenty-six points in front of the Wheat Kings in this year's standings, the two teams split the eight game season series, with each team winning four times including three on home ice.
As well, Brandon has history on its side as they continue preparations for the series, scheduled to open this weekend with games on Friday and Saturday nights in Moose Jaw. Including last year's 5-game series, the Wheat Kings have 22 of 37 playoff decisions between the two. As well, Brandon has won four of six playoff series - 2005, 2003 and 1995.
In the '77 playoffs, Bill Derlago and the Wheat Kings defeated the Winnipeg Warriors five games to two in a best of nine series and way back in '68, it was the Moose Jaw Canucks over Brandon four games to three.
The only time that the Warriors have defeated Brandon in a WHL playoff series came back in 1997 when Donovan Nunweiler backstopped Moose Jaw to a 6-game series win over the defending champion Wheat Kings, led by League Most Valuable Player Peter Schaefer.
In addition to history, the Wheat Kings also have an advantage when it comes to playoff experience. Brandon players have combined for 381 playoff games - twenty-four of them coming from 18-year old netminder Tyler Plante. A second round draft choice of the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers, Plante was simply sensational last spring, compiling a 2.94 goals against average and a stellar .911 save percentage as Brandon defeated the Warriors, Calgary Hitmen and Prince Albert Raiders before losing out to Kelowna in the League Finals.