MMHL Semifinal Opens Friday

  The second round of the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League playoffs open tonight with the Brandon Wheat Kings hosting the Eastman Selects (7:30 p.m., Sportsplex).
 
  Brandon completed a sweep of the Yellowhead Chiefs nine days ago, while Eastman swept the Southwest Cougars in the first round of the playoffs.
 
  The Wheat Kings won all four meetings between the two teams during the regular season, but three of the four games were deciding by two goals or less.
 
  "If just think we have to do what we’ve done all year," said Brandon forward Jordy Stallard, who finished second in league-scoring during the regular season with 76 points, "Work hard, take it game-by-game in the series and just throw everything on net."
 
  Brandon tasted disappointment in the semifinals at year ago, losing in four games to the Winnipeg Thrashers.
 
  Stallard feels that loss is part of the motivation for a number of players on the team this year.
 
  "From the start of the year, we noticed there’s something special with the team," said Stallard, "We’ve had a good season so far and I think we know we can go the distance this year, if we want to.  We just have to work hard, take it game-by-game and really focus on what we want."
 
  "I think we’re a pretty emotional team so emotionally high games like playoffs, I think we succeed.  I think it’s because we play more physical and that really benefits our team," added Brandon centre Tanner Kaspick, "We have the capability of being a hard team to play against.  I think when emotions are high in playoffs and play physical like that, we have success."
 
  Game two of the series is Sunday in Beausejour with Game #3 next Wednesday in Brandon.
 
  The Winnipeg Wild and Winnipeg Thrashers open their other Best-of-Five semifinal series Friday night at Gateway Arena in Winnipeg.