B2 ■ SPORTS THE BRANDON SUN ■ TUESDAY AUGUST 10 2021 TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 BRANDON WHEAT KINGS ON THE ICE PLAYOFF ROUND-ROBIN Gusdal replied 65 seconds after the Brandon 13, Saskatoon 1 a goal and then Laurie Boschman Portland 10 Brandon 0 (Two of three teams advance to Oil Kings took a 2-1 lead. Allison and Game 8, April 8, 1979 and Don Gillen struck 28 seconds Game 2, April 20, 1979 East Division fi nal) Brian Propp gave the Wheat Kings a Recap: The Wheat Kings scored apart as Brandon took its fi rst lead. Recap: The Winter Hawks and Brandon 4, Edmonton 0 4-2 lead in the third period that the fi ve goals in the fi rst 15 minutes in After Saskatoon tied it up 52 seconds Wheat Kings were scoreless for 14 Game 1, March 29, 1979 Oil Kings were unable to overcome. the rout. Brant Kiessig and Brad into the third period, Ray Allison minutes, but after the fi rst period, Recap: Brian Propp set the tone BWK goals: Allison (2), Gusdal, Kempthorne each posted hat tricks won it with his second of the game Portland led 3-0. The Winter Hawks with a goal 1:39 into the fi rst period Propp. and Steve Patrick added four as- 35 seconds later, and Dave Stewart — they changed to the single word and Dave Chartier added an insur- BWK goalie: Knickle. sists as the Wheat Kings outshot the added a late empty-netter. Brandon Winterhawks in 2009 — scored three ance marker. Goalie Rick Knickle Shots on net: 68-34 BWK. Blades by a three-to-one ratio. Bran- was without Dave Chartier, Dave Mc- more goals in the second and four in made 28 saves as Brandon made sure Attendance: 2,819, in Brandon. don outscored its two opponents 50- Donald and Don Dietrich, who was the third period in the kind of beat- not to repeat the mistake it made a Record: 3-1-0. 19 in the eight-game round-robin. injured in practice. Brandon Travel- ing Brandon handed out so often year earlier when it dropped its fi rst Dunc McCallum: “I would think In the Central Division, the second- lers defenceman Greg Mann dressed during the season. Bart Hunter had two games in the round-robin in the the Gusdal line has won us two place Lethbridge Broncos advanced for the Wheat Kings but didn’t play. the 20-save shutout for Portland. 1978 playoffs. The penalty-killing hockey games. When I put that line to meet the third-place Calgary Allison now had 10 playoff goals. It was the fi rst time Brandon was talents of Dave Stewart, Brant Kies- out, all three want to stand in front Wranglers and, in the Western Divi- BWK goals: Boschman (2), Allison blanked all season. sig and Kelly McCrimmon were put of the net. In playoffs, you can’t get sion, the fi rst-place Portland Winter (2), Elcombe, Gillen, Stewart. BWK goals: None. to good use, especially when Laurie fancy — you’ve got to muck and Hawks would play the second-place BWK goalie: Olson. BWK goalie: Knickle/Olson. Boschman took a major in the sec- grind it out. And that’s what that line Victoria Cougars. Shots on net: 50-31 BWK. Shots on net: 49-20 Port. ond period. Edmonton went 0-for-8 does.” BWK goals: Kiessig (3), Kemp- Attendance: 3,913, in Saskatoon. Attendance: 8,112, in Portland. with the man advantage. thorne (3), Brad McCrimmon (2), Series: 3-0 BWK. Record: 1-1-0. BWK goals: Propp (2), Chartier, Brandon 5, Edmonton 3 Stewart (2), Propp, Gillen, Roberts, Wes Coulson: “The forwards de- Dunc McCallum: “It was com- Stewart. Game 5, April 3, 1979 BWK goalie: Knickle/Olson. serve full credit. The forwards all plete domination. I realize the kids BWK goalie: Knickle. Recap: Ray Allison scored 1:40 Shots on net: 70-23 BWK. played well. There were always two are tired, but they are not 10 goals Shots on net: 46-28 BWK. into the fi rst period as the Wheat Attendance: 2,176, in Brandon. of them coming back and that was tired. I can’t recall in four years the Attendance: 1,995, in Lloydmin- Kings booked a spot in the Eastern Record: 7-1-0. key.” guys not going like that. We never ster, Alta. Division fi nal by eliminating the Oil GM Jack Brockest: “I’m pretty won a faceoff, we didn’t hit … we Record: 1-0-0. Kings. The key goal, which made it damn proud that 4,600 fans showed Brandon 6, Saskatoon 4 never won anything.” Dunc McCallum: (on his 39th 4-2, came off Brad McCrimmon’s up for the two games. Particularly af- Game 4, April 14, 1979 birthday) “We really played well. stick early in the third period to re- ter (Saskatoon coach Jack) McLeod Recap: Brandon moved on after Brandon 13, Lethbridge 3 That was as good a present as I’ve store Brandon’s two-goal lead. let it be known well in advance he building a commanding 5-0 lead Game 3, April 24, 1979 ever received. We were in total con- BWK goals: Allison (2), Coulson, was going to be resting his better in the fi rst period — Brant Kiessig Recap: Some nights you lose by trol throughout.” Brad McCrimmon, Kempthorne. players.” scored the Wheat Kings’ fi rst two 10, some nights you win by 10. Brad BWK goalie: Knickle. markers — before the Blades came McCrimmon and Laurie Boschman Saskatoon 5 Brandon 4 (2OT) Shots on net: 53-38 BWK. EASTERN DIVISION FINAL storming back with four goals in the scored an incredible six seconds Game 2, March 30, 1979 Attendance: 2,455, in Brandon. Brandon 9, Saskatoon 1 second. The Blades were sparked by apart just three minutes into the Recap: Saskatoon forward Ter- Record: 4-1-0. Game 1, April 10, 1979 the play of Pat Conacher, who moved game and the rout was on. In the sec- ry Paskurak banged in a rebound Edmonton coach Norm Fergu- Recap: Brandon led 1-0 after 20 back from centre to the blue-line, ond period, Brandon forward Brant 16:01 into the second overtime as son: “Brandon’s fourth goal— right minutes before exploding for six un- and Brent Ashton’s hat trick. Bran- Kiessig scored two of his three goals the Blades made an epic come- off the faceoff — hurt us badly. That answered goals in the middle frame. don coach Dunc McCallum replaced 22 seconds apart. Brandon’s 13-goal back. By the 13:38 mark of the fi rst made it 4-2 and seemed to take a lot It led 8-0 before the Blades found netminder Scott Olson with Rick output tied the league record — it period, Brandon led 3-0 but Sas- out of us.” the back of the net in the third pe- Knickle after the fourth goal. Sas- also scored 13 on April 8 against the katoon scored the next four goals riod. Brad Kempthorne picked up his katoon coach Jack McLeod wasn’t Saskatoon Blades — matching simi- before Don Gillen tied it 4-4. In the Brandon 4, Saskatoon 3 second hat trick in a row, and Dave happy with the work of referee Ian lar outputs by the 1967-68 Edmon- second overtime, Saskatoon outshot Game 6, April 6, 1979 Stewart added a pair of goals in con- Sandercock, quipping “If that guy is a ton Oil Kings and 1974-75 Blades. Brandon 12-2 before notching the Recap: The Wheat Kings built a 4-0 secutive games. Brandon was with- referee, I’m a tiddlywinks player.” With the win, the Wheat Kings as- winner. Brandon took seven of the lead through 40 minutes and hung out the injured trio of Dave Chartier, BWK goals: Kiessig (2), Allison, sured themselves a spot in the fi nal nine minor penalties en route to be- on for the victory. Brandon’s top line Dave McDonald and Larry Roberts. Gusdal, Patrick, Boschman. against the Winter Hawks. ing badly outshot. The loss put the didn’t see much action beyond the Wheat Kings goalie Scott Olson was BWK goalie: Olson/Knickle. BWK goals: Kiessig (3), Boschman Wheat Kings in an unfamiliar spot power play. Still, Saskatoon coach sharp, making 41 saves. Shots on net: 43-33 BWK. (2), Brad McCrimmon, Patrick, Alli- in the standings. Saskatoon (2-1-0) Jack McLeod was angry enough at BWK goals: Kempthorne (3), Bos- Attendance: 2,883, in Saskatoon. son, Stewart, Propp, Chartier, Gillen, was in fi rst place, two points up on a double minor Brian Propp took chman (2), Stewart (2), Patrick, Gus- Series: 4-0 BWK. Kempthorne, Brandon. Darren Gusdal missed the in the fi rst period to call the Wheat dal. Brad McCrimmon: “We were too BWK goalie: Knickle. game with a bad groin and Dave Kings “a classless organization.” BWK goalie: Olson. loose. We stopped doing what we do Shots on net: 73-26 BWK. Chartier suffered an ankle injury in With Edmonton already eliminated, Shots on net: 63-42 BWK. best — hitting, skating and moving Attendance: 3,313, in Brandon. the second period. the schedule dictated the two teams Attendance: 2,410, in Brandon. the puck. And those three things ac- Record: 2-1-0. BWK goals: Coulson, Kiessig, Brad would face each other three more Series: 1-0 BWK. count for almost everything. Having Dunc McCallum: “In defence of McCrimmon, Gillen. times in meaningless round-robin Dunc McCallum: “The fi rst period Conacher on the blue line helped Lethbridge, both times we’ve played BWK goalie: Olson.