Brandon 8 Broncos 3

Do you think the Wheat Kings would be up for a game of “posts” in the final meeting of the season next month?

Surely the Broncos would be favoured if it went to a game of post, post, crossbar after ringing the iron six different times in this contest to Brandon’s one.

It wasn’t the difference in the game but it did speak to the bad bounces which no doubt aided in the Broncos 7th loss this season to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Tack on a couple of own goals off Broncos defensemen and you have an 8-3 game on a night where the shots ended even 34-34.

If it wasn’t for bad bounces the Broncos wouldn’t get any bounces at all on the night.

The first goal off Spencer McAvoy proved to be a killer. With time winding down on a Brandon PP, D Colby Robak centered a pass to no one in particular which found the back of the net behind Morgan Clark. The goal ended a Broncos mini rally after cutting it to 4-2 seemingly with momentum on their side.

D John Negrin had a puck go off his skates in the final minute to cap “one of those nights”.

It’s time to wave a white flag to the hockey gods vs the Wheat Kings. Maybe some sort of a sacrificial ceremony is required perhaps?

Did the Broncos play good enough to win? I wouldn’t say that. But an 8-3 game it wasn’t and a 7-0 season series it most definitely isn’t.

The powerplays ended in Brandon’s favour 8-2. Usually one might complain about a lopsided number like that but on this night the penalties were earned. Brandon played disciplined while the Broncos did not.

The Broncos didn’t have a good game as a whole on the back-end. There were some costly errors. Up front, without Matt Tassone and Michael Stickland in the line-up the Broncos were feeling the effects of playing without their hottest player in Stickland and their leading goal scorer in Tassone.

On the Brandon side it was the usual suspects, Calvert, Schenn and the gang. I inserted D Brodie Melnychuk into my three stars even though he wasn’t recognized in the building as a star. His game has jumped by leaps and bounds in a year’s time. He had two assists, played well defensively and had some big hits. He’s turned into a player.


I have one fan. Brandon Assistant Coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk is apparently an avid reader of Keen’s Korner. He said as much before the game. I told him sometimes this whole blogging thing is more trouble than it’s worth with a laugh.

Blogs have become the “go-to” for WHL info. The landscape has changed dramatically. If I had fallen asleep for two years and suddenly awoke to see how much information is out there I simply don’t think I would believe it.

I can sit on the bus and find out what happened in every game from the WHL at the end of the night. Fans, players, coaches and GM’s alike are hitting up the blogs around the league like wildfire.

While I’m on the topic… I love the blogs with a little attitude, a little opinion. Thanks to Rod in Regina, Gregg in Kamloops and Regan in Kelowna to name a few for spicing things up now and then.

Now, if you excuse me, I hear there was a melee in Medicine Hat tonight, time to get on the PDA and find out what happened….

Before I depart, a note to my fellow broadcasters:

I just finished reading the book “Walking With Legends” the story behind Hockey Night in Canada and all the personalities over the years. It’s a fantastic read written by former HNIC Executive Producer Ralph Mellanby. There are some great stories about broadcasting pioneers Foster Hewitt and Danny Gallivan as well some interesting notes on Bob Cole, Howie Meeker, Dave Hodge, Don Cherry, etc. Pick it up. It sure made the six-hour bus trip to Brandon today go much quicker.

Jon