ICYMI: Wheat Kings sweep T-Birds to advance, semi-finals start tonight
The Killam Wheat Kings travelled to Frog Lake on Wednesday, Feb. 17 with a 3-0 series lead in the best-of-seven quarter finals of the NEAJBHL.
These two teams have had an antagonistic relationship all season long, which started in the regular season and intensified throughout the playoffs. The Wheat Kings outshot the T-birds 54-32, with Luke Grassl in net, and had 13 skaters to come away with a 4-3 overtime winner and advance to the semi-finals.
Frog Lake was first to score early in the period. Killam evened the score on a goal by Kyle Sanders, from Craig Lynes and Drew Bish, to make it even at one after the first.
Killam successfully killed a five-on-three to start the second and shortly after took the lead on a goal by Dean Brodie, from Clay Lang. The T-Birds scored just two minutes later, then took the lead at 19:32 of the second to make it a 3-2 game for Frog Lake after 40 minutes of play.
The Wheat Kings tied it up mid-way through the third on a goal by Lang from Lynes. The score remained tied after regulation time and teams went into overtime.
At 4:46 in the extra Brett Yuha scored the winner, assisted by Denton Repchuk, to advance the Wheaties to the semi-final series.
Killam coach Bob Charchun said, “Game four up in Frog was not our best effort. We were a tired bunch, short bodied with guys injured and out with work commitments. Brett Yuha sniped us the win in OT which ended the series.
“We played with mostly four-D with Bish platooning back and forth from D to forward.
“I’m very proud of the group, as we showed a lot of resiliency and got it done in four.
“We are very glad to be moving on to the second round and have had some well-deserved rest to hopefully get some guys healthy and ready to go for the second round. St Paul is a very in-your-face, hard-working team who will play with a great deal of intensity. We have to be ready to match that and play to our strengths.”
The Wheat Kings will now meet the St. Paul Canadiens in round two of NEAJBHL. The Wheat Kings will have home ice advantage and the series is to start Friday, Feb. 26 in Killam, with game two taking place Saturday also in Killam. Both games will have a 8 p.m. start.
“Home ice will prove to be an asset in this one as we have been very closely matched during the regular season,” Charchun says.
The teams met four times in the regular season and split the games 2-2, the last time the teams played was Dec. 18 in Killam. This should be an exciting match-up for the fans.
The other semi-final series will see Wainwright host Cold Lake in a re-match of last year’s finals.
Jae Robbins
Staff Reporter
