One of the odder games of the season so far for the Brandon Wheat Kings seemed to turn against them late against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Wheat Kings were not to be deterred however, in a game where they held the better of possession.
Kris Muissu scored twice and Cam Allard scored the overtime winner as the Wheat Kings beat the Hurricanes 3-2 in OT. Filip Ruzicka made 23 saves in the win.
“It was a funny game for sure,” said Wheat Kings’ head coach and GM Marty Murray. “But I thought overall we played a pretty solid game. We didn’t give up a ton. There was a big penalty kill in the second period. At times we got a little bit cute trying to over pass the puck but we finally started shooting it around a bit in the third period and OT.”
Possession favoured the Wheat Kings in the first period, as did the shots on goal by a 14-7 count. But despite that territorial advantage, the Wheat Kings weren’t able to break through and neither were the Hurricanes, so the two teams were deadlocked at zero after twenty minutes.
In one of the strangest plays of the season, the Wheat Kings opened the scoring while the Hurricanes’ net was empty for a delayed penalty. Joby Baumuller finished a check hard, but when the Hurricanes pulled Lief Oaten they ended up putting the puck in their own net. Muissu was credited with the goal, while Baumuller was assessed a five-minute major which the Wheat Kings killed.
Later in the second, at even strength, another strange goal would see the Hurricanes tie the game. The puck was turned over behind the Wheat Kings’ net, and the Hurricanes bounced it out front to Jake Stuart, who chopped in his first WHL goal.
Late in the third, the Hurricanes scored what might’ve been a back-breaker. Dayne Beuker broke in up the right wing and fired a shot on net that fooled Ruzicka and gave them the lead with just 3:19 to go.
But it took only 19 seconds for the Wheat Kings to show they were not backing down. Muissu picked off a pass and drove his way to the high slot before overpowering Oaten with a heavy shot.
The two teams went end-to-end in overtime but it took until the final minute before the Wheat Kings found the winner. Jaxon Jacobson broke up the right wing and waited for Allard to join the attack, putting it on his tape before the Yorkton native ripped the winner home from the left circle.
The Wheat Kings get a day to catch their breath before welcoming the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop is 4:00 PM.
