The Calgary Hitmen were unable to carry the momentum of Game 2 into Winnipeg as they fell 4-1 to the Brandon Wheat Kings at the MTS Centre on Sunday night.

“The team that’s had the most desperation and urgency in all three games has ended up winning the games.  It’s playoff time, you need that desperation and we were really hungry the other night.  Brandon was the better team tonight,” summed up Head Coach Mike Williamson. “They won more races to pucks, battles on the boards, and deserved to win.”

With the setback, Calgary now faces an uphill climb with the WHL Eastern Conference Quarter Final now at 2-1 in favour of the Wheat Kings.

“We expected a long series, the two teams are evenly matched.  We have to be sharp and make sure our desperation is at a high level.  Our top guys have to be at the best of their game and I think there’s a little bit more to give there.”

In stark comparison to Game 2 of the post-season, the Hitmen managed only 26 shots on net while allowing the Wheat Kings to fire 42 shots. Hitmen starting netminder Brandon Glover made 38 saves in the losing cause.

“I thought we weren’t getting pucks out, we weren’t getting pucks deep and doing the little things to win.  If we want to beat this team, we are going to have to outwork them,” said Greg Chase, who tallied the lone Hitmen marker. 

In all three games of the WHL playoff series, the team to draw first blood has emerged the victors. The all-important first goal came less than five minutes into the opening frame as Bruno Mraz took advantage of Calgary’s inability to clear the puck out of their zone. The Slovakian right-winger skated into the low slot and fired it over the catcher of Brandon Glover.

“We have to will the pucks out of the zone, we can’t just make fancy plays.  They got a bunch of skill up front and if we don’t work hard and use our work ethic they are going to go around us and make plays,” added Chase.

Just when it looked like the Hitmen would enter into the second frame with a deficit, Chase registered his first WHL playoff marker with less than a minute remaining. The 17-year-old rookie turned Wheat Kings defenceman Ryley Miller inside out before launching it over the blocker of Corbin Boes.

“It gave me a lot of confidence and let me know I can keep up with these guys in the playoffs.  The speed compared to the regular season is a lot faster,” said Chase.

The Brandon Wheat Kings landed their first powerplay goal of the WHL playoff series as the fourth Hitmen penalty of the game proved costly. A precision pass from Brenden Walker found the tape of Calgary Flames prospect, Michael Ferland who was parked on the left side of the blue paint for the one-timer.

The Wheat Kings managed to stretch the lead to two before the close of the middle stanza. Dominick Favreau pried the puck out following a scramble in front of the Calgary net as Eric Roy chipped it into the gaping upper cage.

The game was capped off with another Wheat Kings tally as Kevin Sundher picked up the puck along the half boards and meandered his way in front to release it off the blocker of Glover and in.


The best-of-seven series continues Tuesday, March 27 at the MTS Centre with a 6:00 p.m. MT puck drop.  Radio broadcast on Sportsnet 960 The FAN begins at 6:00 p.m. MT.