Wheat Kings eager for teddy bears to fly

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This article was published 10/12/2022 (745 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have more than two points on the line tonight when they meet the Spokane Chiefs.

The Western Hockey League team’s 26th annual teddy-bear toss will take place in front of what’s expected to be a large crowd at Westoba Place, with fans lobbing the gifts onto the ice when the Wheat Kings score their first goal.

Brett Hyland set the team record for fastest goal when he sniped 20 seconds into the teddy-bear toss game against the Regina Pats on Dec. 6, 2021, edging the previous mark set by Rene Hunter 29 seconds into a 6-5 overtime loss to the Kelowna Rockets on Dec. 13, 2013.

“There hasn’t been much like that experience,” Hyland said. “Especially with how quickly I was able to score it. It was quite amazing so I’m going to chase that and try to do it again (tonight).”

On the opening play of the game, the Wheat Kings broke out of their end, with Zakhar Polshakov getting the puck to Landon Roberts. Hyland picked up the puck near centre ice, gloving it down to himself and heading in on the wing on a two-on-one.

He used Chad Nychuk as a decoy and elected to shoot, sending the puck just inside the post past Regina goalie Matthew Kieper. Hyland skated into the middle of the ice to celebrate and jumped against the boards near the penalty boxes as he was swamped by teammates.

The bears poured down as the five skaters went through the fly-by at the bench.

“Honestly, I still remember the puck going in and it took me a second to realize what just happened,” Hyland said. “One, that I just scored, and two, that it was the teddy bear toss goal. It was ‘Oh, ya.’ Then I started to celebrate and all of a sudden the bears came over and it was ‘Oh, that’s right.’

“That was really cool.”

You can rest assured 17 other Brandon skaters are hopeful they’re the one who pots the goal this year.

Rookie forward Roger McQueen would certainly love it. The lanky 16-year-old forward from Saskatoon is well aware of what’s at stake.

“It would be unbelievable,” McQueen said. “I’ve never had it before so just to get the first one would be so cool and awesome. We’ll need some goals to beat this team, they’re a good team, so we’ll have to work for it.”

Naturally, the king isn’t about to relinquish that crown to his teammates just yet. Hyland would love to be the first player to score back-to-back teddy bear goals since Teegan Moore did it in 2005 and 2006.

He chuckled when asked how great it’s been to have bragging rights for a year.

“I’ve got them right now still until (today),” Hyland said. “We’ll see. That’s been super nice, especially with how quickly it came. It’s just an awesome one to get.”

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray just missed participating in a teddy-bear toss game as a Wheat Kings player, with the tradition starting in the 1996-97 campaign, two seasons after he graduated to the pro ranks. He did, however, take part in it in the pro ranks and as a coach in the NAHL and the USHL.

“Everybody knows so we just treat it as another game,” Murray said of his message to his players. “I think any time you put too much pressure on them, the guys are squeezing their sticks. These ones are always enjoyable but a little nerve racking because you want to get that first one out of the way, otherwise the tension builds up a little bit.

“Every team goes through it. It’s a great way to support the community.”

Hyland agreed.

“It’s awesome,” Hyland said of the charitable angle. “We’re always happy if we can help out and do what we can, especially doing it playing the game that we all love. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. We’re going to give it our all.”

Last season, Nychuk and Nolan Ritchie added goals in the next eight minutes as Brandon jumped into a 3-0 lead and hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Pats. Hyland said it’s important to regain the momentum after the cleanup.

“The first shift back, if we can keep up our intensity and maybe lay a couple of hits and get ourselves into the game that way,” Hyland said. “If we’re not doing anything else, being physical will be part of our game.”

Brandon (11-15-3-0) has earned seven of eight possible points since Murray took over behind the bench, and is on its first hot streak since it headed out on the West Coast trip in early October.

McQueen said it’s been a smooth transition to playing under a new head coach.

“Really good,” McQueen said. “I thought he’s been unreal. We’ve been playing really well and on a really good start with him. We have a long season and lots of good stuff ahead of us .”

The Wheat Kings will need to play well tonight, because they’ve had their hands full with the Chiefs (5-18-0-1) over the years.

The teams have met 28 times in the Internet era, with two games per season from the 1997-98 campaign until 2000-01.

The Chiefs hold a decided edge, with 18 victories, nine losses and one tie. Since the WHL went to its current overtime and shootout format in 2005-06, Brandon has won twice in overtime, Spokane has one OT victory and Brandon has a shootout triumph.

The Wheat Kings and Chiefs last met on Oct. 23, 2019 in Spokane, with the hosts winning 7-1. They’re on a current three-game winning streak against Brandon, and have won seven of the last 10 games.

The two franchises have met just once in the playoffs, with Brandon winning the 1996 final in five games.

Spokane appears to be firmly in rebuilding mode, trading their team captain Graham Sward and starting goalie Mason Beaupit to the Winnipeg Ice in separate deals for a total of two players and seven draft picks. On Friday evening, Spokane met Winnipeg to start their East Division swing.

“They’re young and they work hard,” Murray said of the Chiefs. “They’re a team that battles and we have to be ready, regardless of who we’re playing. I still think we’re in a position where it’s about us and we have to play our game. I think we’ve made some strides over the last little bit and we don’t want to take any steps backwards.

“Even though they’re playing in Winnipeg (on Friday) and travelling here (today), we have to be at our best.”

The Chiefs, who are currently tied for ninth place in the 10-team Western Conference with the Victoria Royals, are led offensively by a pair of 19-year-old forwards and a 16-year-old rookie. Chase Bertholet, a product of The Pas who was traded to Spokane by Winnipeg last season, is the team’s points leader with 27 in 24 games and is on pace to easily eclipse his previous career high of 58 points.

Ty Cheveldayoff leads the team in scoring with 12 goals, while youngster Berkly Catton, who centres the top line, is clicking along at nearly a point-per-game pace with 17 points in 19 games.

Goaltender Dawson Cowan of Warren, who was involved in the Beaupit deal, shares the crease with Cooper Michaluk.

They’ll certainly be facing a motivated Brandon club tonight.

“A lot of guys are really excited this year,” Hyland said. “There are bets going around with guys choosing who they think is going to score. Guys are really excited and I think it makes them want to play that much harder and get that goal.”

ICINGS: Brandon won’t have much time to rest after Saturday’s game, with their sole Sunday matchup of the season at 4 p.m., as the Calgary Hitmen visit. Brandon won the only meeting between the clubs so far with a 3-2 decision on Oct. 10 … This weekend’s games are the 14 and 15th of Brandon’s 34 home matchups … The Wheat Kings are 0-1-1-0 against U.S. Division clubs this season, losing 6-3 to Everett on Nov. 2 and falling 4-3 in overtime to the Tri-City Americans two nights later. The Portland Winterhawks visit on Jan. 6 and the Seattle Thunderbirds come to town on Jan. 10 … Brandon’s last two games before the Christmas break are a home-and-home series with Winnipeg next weekend. The Ice visit Westoba Place on Friday at 7 p.m., with the Wheat Kings heading to Wayne Fleming Arena the next evening at 7:05. After the break, the Wheat Kings return to action on Dec. 28 when they visit the Brandt Centre to face the Regina Pats.

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