Photo by Brandi Pollock
Medicine Hat, AB (CKLQ) – The Brandon Wheat Kings will have a chance to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final on Sunday after a 5-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers in Game Five on Friday night.
The Wheat Kings got multi-point nights from four different players and 28 saves from Dylan Myskiw on route to their third straight victory.
For the fourth time in the series, the Tigers opened the scoring… or so they though. Jaeger White tucked home a loose puck into an open net and sent the crowd into a frenzy but the referee emphatically waved it off. Dylan Myskiw’s mask had come off prior to the puck crossing the goal line, meaning no goal.
The controversy wouldn’t deter the Tigers though, the opened the scoring at 9:14 as Ryan Chyzowski snapped one off the post and in for his 3rd of the post-season.
In the 2nd period, the Tigers took an early 2-0 lead. Just 0:33 into the period, Ryan Chyzowski potted his 2nd of the night and 4th of the post-season.
The Wheat Kings would respond on the powerplay. Ty Lewis netted his 4th of the season on a rebound in front, Lewis now has an, even strength, a powerplay and a shorthanded goal in this series.
Before the period would end, the Wheat Kings would tie it. Luka Buzan re-directed a Schael Higson point shot past Jordan Hollett. The goal capped off a period in which the Wheat Kings outshot the Tigers 15-6.
The Wheat Kings came out flying in the third, scoring a pair of goals in the opening 2:06. Connor Gutenberg would score just 0:19 into the third as he finished off a 2on1 pass from Evan Weinger. Then, just a few moments later Linden McCorrister banged home a rebound on the powerplay to give Brandon a 4-2 lead.
The Tigers would pull the goalie for the extra attacker but Stelio Mattheos would put the icing on the cake and bury his 2nd of the playoffs in the open net.
The Wheat Kings penalty kill didn’t have a lot to do on Friday night, killing off just one Tiger chance, but going back to game four, the Wheat Kings have now killed off six straight penalties.
Dylan Myskiw earned his third straight victory, turning aside 28 shots, while Jordan Hollett took the loss, making 21 saves in the Tiger goal.
Game six of this series goes Sunday back in Dauphin at Credit Union Place. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00, our QCountry pre-game show begins at 6:30.
CROWE’S NOTES:
-The Wheat Kings scratched Logan Thompson (Lower Body), Baron Thompson (Coaches Decision), Ty Ettinger (Coaches Decision), & Jonny Hooker (Upper Body). L.Thompson has served his three game suspension and is eligible to return to the series.
-The Tigers had a goal disallowed in the first period. Dylan Myskiw’s mask had come off during the play, prior to Jaeger White tucking the puck into the open net.
-Attendance at the Canalta Centre was 3,509.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st PERIOD
M.H – Ryan Chyzowski (3) (Quennville, Preziuso) 9:14
Shots: 8-6 Medicine Hat
2nd PERIOD
M.H – Ryan Chyzowski (4) (Preziuso, Jevne) 0:33
BWK – Ty Lewis (4) (Mattheos, Gutenberg) 5:52 PPG
BWK – Luka Burzan (2) (Higson, Lewis) 17:01
Shots: 15-6 Brandon
3rd PERIOD
BWK – Connor Gutenberg (2) (Weinger, McCorrister) 0:19
BWK – Linden McCorrister (2) (Higson, Lewis) 2:06 PPG
BWK – Stelio Mattheos (2) (Lewis) 19:20 ENG
Final Shots: 31-26 Brandon
