B2 ■ SPORTS THE BRANDON SUN ■ WEDNESDAY AUGUST 4 2021 TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 Kiessig solid on the ice, in the room BY PERRY BERGSON that team, although Lockridge DON GILLEN: “(Brant) was just on natural strength might a very strong guy, a very good Brant Kiessig wasn’t play- have been right there … He person. He was a gamer. He ing organized hockey when he was another big, strong quiet was there in the toughest of snuck onto the ice on a cold type who was very effective … games.” night when a bantam team Brant was great along the wall, DAVE CHARTIER: “If you was practising outside. He was a great killer and if you hit Brant, you were going to invited to join them, promptly gave him a regular shift, he get hurt. I never saw a body led the squad in scoring and was going to get you 20 goals.” so square. I don’t how he got became a junior prospect. STEPHEN PATRICK: “Brant it and how much he worked at A natural talent, the Thun- had the big pipes on him. He it but he was a big strong kid, der Bay product was soon in- was into music and played and obviously he was a big vited to camp with Brandon, guitar. I know he was a fi re- part … He was a stud. He was a and after a year with the Mani- man. They traded him the sec- good player.” toba Junior Hockey League’s ond year and I think he scored RICK KNICKLE: “There’s a Brandon Travellers, graduated 40 goals with Medicine Hat. guy who was really deceiving full time to the Wheat Kings in Brant Kiessig He and Gussy killed penalties on the ice when you watched 1978-79. in my fi rst year and did a real Brant Kiessig became a terrifi c penalty killer while also scoring Brant play because he looked The muscular 18-year-old He was just a strong guy. I think good job. He was real strong 29 goals for the Wheat Kings. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) stiff. But the guy could shoot responded to the opportunity him and Gussy were buddies. but real quiet. He was a good the puck and was very valuable by scoring 29 goals and pro- He was happy to be there and hockey player.” ally good skater, a really good big minutes but he contrib- in big games with the third and viding an invaluable presence just went with the fl ow. He was LAURIE BOSCHMAN: two-way forward and an im- uted every time he got on the fourth line assets he brings to penalty killing. a real easy-going guy.” “Brant was very solid in his portant guy.” ice.” a team. He was a pretty quiet He returned for the 1979-80 GREGG DRINNAN (Bran- build. He was an aggressive MIKE PEROVICH: “(Brant) DAVE STEWART: “Kiesser guy … but a really good guy. season, and was dealt to the don Sun): “There’s not much player, played a key role in that was like Hercules. He was didn’t have a lot of stick-han- He was a tough nut too. Any Medicine Hat Tigers, where he doubt that he was the most year for us and was a valuable ripped … He was a nice kid, dling talent, he was more of time we had any brawls, his scored 35 goals in 51 games. chiselled player on that team, part of that team.” quiet, unassuming.” a grinder too. He was one of eyes lit up so we were ‘OK, he After a short pro hockey ca- and that was before the gym KELLY McCRIMMON: WES COULSON: “(Brant) those guys you wanted in front likes this stuff.’ He really didn’t reer, he became a fi refi ghter was as popular as it is now. The “Brant was a really good player was a stocky built guy, a strong of the net all the time. He was a play that way. He was an hon- back home in Thunder Bay. He gym certainly wasn’t the place … He was from Thunder Bay kid, and you kind of forget he tough bugger too. He was un- est player, he hit guys hard and is now retired. to hang out in the off-season and that can’t happen in this scored 29 goals, which was an derrated. He was almost like was a really solid guy. He was TIM LOCKRIDGE: “Brant in those days but he certainly era because he would have amazing feat for a guy who a bodybuilder when he came. another unsung guy.” was built like a brick s—house did. I imagine he would have been property of . He didn’t get a lot of ice time. I You didn’t see that very much » [email protected] to start with. He was square. been the strongest guy on was really big and strong, a re- don’t remember him playing back then.” » Twitter: @PerryBergson Patrick’s arrival McDonald added a huge boon for team physical edge, scoring BY PERRY BERGSON BY PERRY BERGSON

It’s hard to dispute that great Dave McDonald was one of genetics run in the Patrick the three unexpected gifts that family. fell into the lap of the Brandon Brandon Wheat Kings for- Wheat Kings during the 1978- ward Stephen Patrick — he 79 season. prefers Stephen to Steve, as McDonald wasn’t getting he is widely known by in the along with the coach at the hockey world — was the son University of Minnesota Dulu- of Steve Patrick, the Glenella th so the Winnipegger left the product who played 13 sea- college team to join the Wheat sons with the Blue Kings, who had acquired his Bombers, including four Grey rights in a trade a year earlier. Cup championship teams. His fi rst game with the WHL Steve was later inducted into club was on Nov. 9, 1978. the Blue Bomber Hall of Fame, He was soon joined by his St. the Order of the Buffalo Hunt James teammates and the Sports Hall Stephen Patrick and Kelly El- of Fame in 1998. Stephen Patrick joined the Brandon Wheat Kings later in the combe, giving Brandon an Stephen carved out his own season but showed an immediate ability to score in the West- important infusion of talent. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) path in professional sports, ern Hockey League. Like Patrick, whose dad Steve playing 250 National Hockey played in the Canadian foot- League games over six seasons was part of the posse, the ball League, McDonald was with the , New Winnipeg guys with Dave Mc- the son of a professional ath- Dave McDonald provided a combination of skill and grit when York Rangers and Quebec Nor- Donald and Kelly Elcombe. lete. he left college to join the Wheat Kings. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) diques. They came a little bit later in In fact, he was nicknamed And in perhaps the ultimate the season. He was another Abby after his father Ab, who future considerations, his son guy who I gravitated to. There played 762 NHL games in 15 er. I met Dave’s parents many Nolan joined the Wheat Kings were about fi ve or six of us seasons and retired after two times and he was a chip off the 25 years after Stephen left with Dave Stewart and Kelly years in the World Hockey block.” and the third generation tal- McCrimmon and Donny Diet- Association as of his STEPHEN PATRICK: “Abby ent blossomed into a Western rich. We didn’t have cliques … hometown . had a good shot and was really Hockey League star. We just had certain guys who McDonald put up 39 points good positionally … Abby was Patrick wasn’t initially sure were the same age or had girl- (19 goals and 20 assists) with always happy. He got pissed he wanted to play in the WHL, friends of girlfriends … Stevie the Wheat Kings in 1978-79, off one time against Regina — instead staying with the Mani- was a good guy and a good and surely would have be- I’ve forgotten the guy’s name toba Junior Hockey League’s player.” come their 10th 20- scorer — knocked his front teeth out. St. James Canadians with the TIM LOCKRIDGE: “Steve if he had played more than 43 Abby waited until the next intention of going to college. Stephen Patrick was a good guy. He was just a games. Still, he was drafted in game and beat the crap out He played a game with the big strong guy and he made a the sixth round, 123rd over- of him. Abby was strong and Wheat Kings on Nov. 11, went and scored some goals and difference. He was on the sec- all, by the Hartford Whalers in he was tough. He had a lot of home and skated with the Ca- wasn’t afraid to bang guys ond line with Stewie most of 1979. pride in playing for the Wheat nadians again, and ultimately around. He had quite a bit of the time. He was just a good He returned to the Wheat Kings.” joined Brandon for good on skill.” hockey player. He was so ath- Kings for the 1979-80 season, Dave McDonald TIM LOCKRIDGE: “(Dave) Nov. 22. : “Stephen letic, he was six-foot-three and scoring 32 goals, before em- was a little bit of a s— disturb- Nicknamed “Archie” by his was another big strong guy could skate like the wind.” barking on a three-year pro guys liked to bug, and was just er. I remember that. He wasn’t teammates, he settled in with who had a right-handed shot DAVE CHARTIER: “(Ste- career. McDonald now lives in a good guy. Everyone asks who afraid to mix it up with any- Dave Stewart and Dave Mc- and fi t in with the younger phen) was big and strong. He Minnedosa. was the best guy on the team, body. I don’t know what it was Donald on the second line, guys. He was a good forward, was always bigger than every- STEPHEN PATRICK: “Abby and it was Dave McDonald … in that whole group, but he was contributing 23 goals and 31 and good hard, heads-up guy. body else.” left Minnesota Duluth and He was another tough guy, and another very easy-going guy assists in 52 games to fi nish He got a chance with Dunc to KELLY McCRIMMON: “Ste- went to Brandon in Octo- like Donny Dietrich, his abil- who you couldn’t rattle. I’ve seventh in team scoring. play a little bit more. We could phen joined us late and it was ber. I left the Canadians — I ity on the ice was his hockey run into him and had a beer Patrick added 18 more have scored more goals but a real recruiting coup for us. was playing for the St. James sense and hands and knowing with him a couple of times in points in 22 playoff games. we didn’t need to. We let the He was so talented, a physical Canadians and was going to how to play the game growing the last couple of years, and I He spent two more seasons younger guys have a chance specimen, big and strong, a play out my Grade 12 and go up in a hockey family with his don’t think he’s changed. He’s with Brandon before turning to improve themselves too, great skater.” on a scholarship — and then dad.” the same I remember when he pro, and retired from hockey and that’s why Dunc was such MIKE PEROVICH: “(Ste- I left so I got there at the end DAVE STEWART: “Ab by i s was 19 years old.” after the 1985-86 season. a good coach. He let people phen) was a serious kid. You of October. Then Kelly El- one of my best buddies … He’s MIKE PEROVICH: “Abby The Patricks are the only know what they have and that could tell he was going to go combe — the three of us were a good guy, down to earth. was funny. He had a good father-son duo in Wheat Kings they had to work for every- somewhere. He was younger all real good friends in Winni- He wouldn’t say anything bad sense of humour and was not history to both win a WHL thing. You don’t have to get than us so I didn’t get to know peg — Kelly left Wisconsin a about anybody. He was one a bad hockey player. He was championship with a fran- crazy, just practise hard and him much off the ice. He had a few weeks later and ended up of those guys who would give always laughing. Abby was a chise that earned the top prize fi nd a way.” good work ethic.” in Brandon. So we all got initi- you the shirt off his back. He good guy.” in 1979, 1996 and 2016. GREGG DRINNAN (Bran- : “Steve was ated at the same time.” liked to jab you too.” WES COULSON: “We used He now owns his own com- don Sun): “Stephen was a big a big guy, a big right-handed LAURIE BOSCHMAN: DON GILLEN: “(Dave) was to call him Abby because of his pany, Patrick Realty, in Winni- kid. He played that one game shot. He was a good player.” “Dave was a character, maybe a good guy. In hindsight, he dad, Ab McDonald. He was an- peg. to prove he could play in the DAVE STEWART: “Stephen like his father was. He was a had a lot of pressure on him other guy who was fun loving RICK KNICKLE: “What a league if he wanted to. He was a scorer in junior. He was solid left winger, left-handed from the shadow of his dad, and just loved life. You take a talent. He was a guy who hit went back to the St. James Ca- a big boy too. I enjoyed Steven shot, very tenacious on the Ab McDonald. He may not look at him and you wouldn’t like a football player. His dad nadians, but it wasn’t long un- on my wing. I had Steven and puck.” agree with that, but when he think he had a mean streak, was football player. Stephen til he came back. He was one Dave on my wings and they GREGG DRINNAN (Bran- focused, he was very good but I tell you what, he could was one of those guys who was of the fi nal pieces they needed, both had good size. We gelled don Sun): “McDonald wasn’t and strong enough and tough throw the dukes too and didn’t really quirky but in a good way. him and Dave McDonald and pretty good. Stephen is a little humongously big but he was enough. He was like a lot of us, really care. He was just happy He was a guy who really didn’t Kelly Elcombe. Every time I bit of a character too. We were big by the standards of those he didn’t always focus to his to be there and play.” know his own strength and his see Nolan I think of Stephen always throwing shots and days. He was thick and could ability. Sometimes we allowed DAVE CHARTIER: “Ab by own talent.” because they have the same Stephen was always in there. handle himself, and won a lot ourselves distractions, and was just like his dad. What a LAURIE BOSCHMAN: “Ste- skating style. The fi rst time I He liked to start the shots with of one-on-one puck battles. that’s part of being a junior gentleman. I’ve seen him a phen was a great junior player. saw Nolan it blew me away him and Dave (McDonald) He had a lot of grit. As time hockey player.” few times and he’s always had He played on the right side and … At that time, Stephen was a and Kelly Elcombe, the Winni- went on, those guys really got KELLY McCRIMMON: “His the smile on his face. He was a I think he might have played a bit of a plodder but had really peg boys. It was good fun.” comfortable and liked to go to dad Ab McDonald was just good player too. What he didn’t little bit of centre after we left. good hands for a big guy. He DON GILLEN: “(Stephen) war for one another and stand one of the all-time great guys have in talent, he had in heart. He was a big, strong guy, good was kind of shy. Certainly in was a good guy with a good at- up for one another, and he was around the game of hockey, We had a big team back then skater, could really do it all.” his early days with the Wheat titude as far as a friendly guy. certainly one who didn’t mind and just a tremendous ambas- and he was one of the bigger WES COULSON: “Stephen Kings, I think it came a little He was a very good athlete … the heavy going.” sador for the Jets and hockey ones so it made all of us young was another big guy with good fast to him so it was like his He was a heck of a strong skat- RICK KNICKLE: “Dave was in general after he was done guys even stronger because skill level who could skate and head was in the clouds for a er, good shot, he had all the another guy who hung around his career. Dave McDonald our big guys were strong. He shoot. He was one of those little bit until he got comfort- aspects.” with me and Steve and Kelly was his son. He was just iden- was a good guy.” guys who at the age, he played able.” » [email protected] (Elcombe). He was salt of the tical. He was a great guy, fun- » [email protected] a role and played it very well RICK KNICKLE: “Stephen » Twitter: @PerryBergson earth. Abby was a guy that ny, loved to laugh, a good play- » Twitter: @PerryBergson