B2 ■ SPORTS THE BRANDON SUN ■ WEDNESDAY AUGUST 11 2021 TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 BRANDON WHEAT KINGS An analysis: How the west was won BY GREGG DRINNAN WHL PLAYOFFS This column originally ap- peared in the May 5, 1979 edi- SCORING LEADERS tion of the Brandon Sun. GP G A Pt PIM The Brandon Wheat Kings fi nished the Western Hockey League season in Portland with a victory on Thursday night. That win put them into the Memori al Cup three-team round-robin cham pionship tournament. And, incredible as it may sound, that win lifted Wheat Kings’ overall 1978-79 record — including regular season and playoff games — to 76 wins, nine losses and nine ties. That, in itself, tells you the Wheat Kings are the best team in the WHL. But, don’t kid yourself. Getting this far was not a breeze for the Brandon outfi t. Sure, Wheat Kings cruised Knickle who rose to the oc- through the regular season, all casion. Granted, he got a lot but wrapping up the Eastern of help from his defencemen, Division pennant shortly af- but he proved just who is the ter the fi rst faceoff. Then, they WHL’s No. 1 goaltender. zipped through that fi rst post- And then there were the season round-robin affair, be- coaches, Ken Hodge of Port- fore disposing of Saskatoon land and Brandon’s Dunc Mc- Blades in their fi rst best-of- Callum, the WHL’s coach-of- seven series. the-year. Some people had a few In my mind, McCallum won doubts when Wheat Kings this battle hands down. Wheat headed into the second round- Kings went into the fi fth game robin series, with Lethbridge desperately needing a win. Bron cos and Portland Winter The series was deadlocked at Hawks. But, most of those peo- two and Brandon was going to ple just wanted to be able to have to play without Coulson, say ‘I told you so’ if the Wheat Stewart and forward Kelly Mc- Kings were sidelined. Crimmon. McCallum, though, They weren’t, of course, and did a masterful job of coach- the WHL’s two best clubs — ing. His juggling act was in- Brandon and Portland — lined credible to watch as practically up opposite each other for the every possible line combina- best-of-seven fi nal. tion was used. Everyone knows by now that And, McCallum obviously Brandon’s 6-3 win on Thursday did a much better job of mo- night gave Wheat Kings the se- tivating his players than did ries, four games to two, over Hodge. It was McCallum who the Winter Hawks. talked with Knickle, who had It was not, by any stretch of a shaky fourth game, prior the imagination, an easy series to Game Five and helped the win for the Wheat Kings. To a goaltender turn it around. player they sang the praises of Hodge never did do much to the Winter Hawks. No one tried shake up his club. At the end of to bury the Portland club. the sixth and fi nal game he was The greatest margin of vic- still using basically the same tory for either club was three combinations that started the goals. In case you’ve forgotten series. how the series went, it was like These were all factors in de- this: Portland won the opener ciding the outcome. But the 4-2 in Brandon; the Wheat biggest difference was the guys Kings then scored 3-1 and 6-5 in the trenches. Wheat Kings victories on home ice; the Win- got solid, consistent efforts out ter Hawks won 5-2 in the fi rst Defenceman Brad McCrimmon hoists the WHL championship trophy into the air after the Brandon Wheat Kings returned to the of guys like Don Gillen, Brant game in Portland; and Bran- Keystone one day after winning the title in Portland on May 3, 1979. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) Kiessig, Steve Patrick. Dave don then wrapped it up with McDonald, Brad Kempthorne, two wins — 4-3 in overtime — Winter Hawks didn’t. In other his career in the six-game affair bothered him, but he was vir- tending, featuring Portland’s Dave Chartier and Darren Gus- and 6-3 in that Oregon city. words, Brandon’s experienced with Portland. Defencemen tually ineffective throughout. 19-year-old Bart Hunter ver- dal. These are the players who These were two pretty evenly 19-year-olds, for the most part, Wes Coulson, before being in- There’s little doubt but that sus 18-year-old Rick Knickle of were doing most of the hit- matched clubs, though. And, came through. jured, and Tim Lockridge were Turnbull’s lack of per formance Brandon. One playing for his ting, and the bodywork took as Brandon’s Ray Allison put it, Brandon’s Brad McCam- as solid as anyone. And, the list had a negative effect on the re- future, the other trying to play its toll on the Portland club. As “I would not have put money mon showed beyond a ben- goes on and on. mainder of the club. All season well enough to earn the start in the series progressed, Wheat on either club to win it.” efi t of a doubt that he, and not From a Portland standpoint, long he was the No. 1 man, he the next game. Kings seemed to be getting a What, then, what turned the Portland’s Keith Brown, is the the biggest disappointment of was the guy they turned to for When the series started it bit more room to operate and Wheat Kings into champions best defenceman in the WHL. the series had to be the per- the big goals when they needed belonged to Hunter. He simply that certainly didn’t hurt their and the Winter Hawks into Rightwinger Ray Allison of formance of leftwinger Perry them. In this series, though, stoned the Wheat Kings. With- game of skating and moving bridesmaids? the Wheat Kings emerged as a Turnbull, who was named the when the Winter Hawks turned out Hunter, the Winter Hawks the puck. Some players did not The way I saw it, the ma- strong leader, both on and off WHL’s most valuable player on to Turnbull, he was usually could well have been out of see all that much ice time but jor difference was in leader- the ice. Centre Dave Stewart Monday. We’ll likely never know skating to the bench. this affair in four or fi ve games. when they were called upon ship — Wheat Kings had it and played likely the best hockey of just how much an ankle injury Then there was the goal- In the end, though, it was they got the job done. ON THE ICE LEAGUE FINAL There was bad news on the injury Shots on net: 42-33 BWK. difference. We outplayed them at ev- I made sure to keep the puck with front as right winger Kelly McCrim- Attendance: 5,191, in Brandon. ery position but goal. We shot some me and I skated as hard as I could. PORTLAND 4, BRANDON 2 mon cracked the same bone in his Series: 2-1 BWK. pucks right at him, but he made a lot I saw (Hunter) leaning to his glove right arm that cost him 13 games Dunc McCallum: “After we got up of great saves. For 10 minutes of the side and I shot it on the ice. I think it Game 1, April 27, 1979 mid-season. 4-0 we quit hitting and we quit second period, we played likely the went through his legs. I haven’t skat- Recap: Brad McCrimmon gave Bran- BWK goals: Stewart, Propp, Chartier. dumping the puck in. Everyone best hockey we’ve played this year ed that fast for years. I really wanted don the lead 3:41 into the game, but BWK goalie: Knickle. started trying to get fancy. We’ve … and we didn’t get a sniff. But we’ll to win this one for the fans in Bran- Portland scored twice in the second Shots on net: 42-34 Port. done that quite often this year … we win. We’ll beat those guys. My guys don.” period. Brian Propp tied it 3:39 into Attendance: 4,557, in Brandon. get up on a team and the guys start certainly aren’t down. They’re higher the third period but Jim Dobson’s Series: 1-1. thinking they’ll get 10 or 15. It’s a than kites. And, Portland has to fi g- BRANDON 6, PORTLAND 3 second goal of the game 82 seconds Dunc McCallum: “The difference shame that that happens. You work ure they were lucky to win.” Game 6, May 3, 1979 later proved to be the winner. If was our skating … and when we for everything you get against that Recap: Portland’s Dave Babych gave Brandon wins Game 2, Game 3 will skate and move the puck. And it was Portland club. Then, you let up for a BRANDON 4, PORTLAND 3 (OT) his team a 3-1 lead 42 seconds into be played on April 29 in Brandon. nice to see my goaltender play up to couple of shifts and you’re right back Game 5, May 2, 1979 the third period but the tide changed If Portland wins Game 2, the series his capabilities. In fact, that’s also at Square 1. It’s obvious that nothing Recap: Rick Knickle is apparently a 16 seconds later when Portland de- picks up in Oregon on April 30.