Multi point nights for some of their best forwards proved to be just the right medicine for the Brandon Wheat Kings as they opened up their Saskatchewan road trip with a convincing win over the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Kris Muissu and Joby Baumuller scored twice each, and Hudson Landmark scored his first WHL goal as the Wheat Kings beat the Warriors 6-2. Chase Surkan also scored, while Ryley Budd was strong with 30 saves on 32 shots.
“We started much the way we did against Everett, it was a really good first period,” said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. “We weren’t happy with the way the Everett game ended and we talked about it as ‘We’ve got to learn from this, fellas.’ I think the guys did a good job of keeping their focus up and played a good 60-minute game.”
It was another strong start for the Wheat Kings, and the reunited line of Levi Ellingsen, Cole Hunter, and Landmark got the ball rolling. Ellingsen sent the puck back to Nigel Boehm, and Landmark got the redirection on his low, hard shot to pick up his first WHL goal.
The power play kept things rolling for the Wheat Kings. Jaxon Jacobson sent a perfect pass through the seam to Baumuller, who leaned into a rocket of a one-timer from the top of the left circle to make it 2-0.
After three straight successful penalty kills, the Wheat Kings got some work done at even strength. Colin Grubb broke in on the right wing and cut back to survey his options before spotting Muissu coming off the bench. Muissu picked up the puck in the high slot and rifled one past Jordan Switzer.
The Warriors got a bounce and got on the board later in the second, with the rebound of a long range shot bouncing to the tape of Riley Thorpe. Thorpe fed the puck out front to Nolan Paquette, who leaned into a quick shot to beat Budd for the first time that night.
But Muissu went to work again and restored the Brandon lead. Taking the rebound of a Josh McGregor shot, he drove up the right wing and along the blueline, danced free from his checker, cut to the slot, and in a nearly perfect replay of his previous goal, simply overpowered Switzer with his shot.
Before the period was out, however, the Wheat Kings got a good swift kick in the stomach from Lady Luck. On the power play, a pass back to the point picked the worst possible moment to bounce, and sent Luke Moroz on a breakaway, which the Warriors leading scorer cashed in on with a slick backhand move.
The power play got its payback in the third. Jacobson sold the shot and made another pass to Baumuller for a one-timer, and the Wilcox native made no mistake for his second of the game.
With the third period winding down, the Wheat Kings put the game thoroughly out of reach. Cam Allard joined the rush, and the rebound of his shot came to the stick of Surkan, who cashed in from the crease to make it 6-2.
Despite some late feistiness, the score stayed fixed at 6-2 and the Wheat Kings took the win. They move on to Prince Albert to face the Raiders tomorrow night at 8:00 Central Time.
