It’s been a while since the Brandon Wheat Kings got good news from their medical bay. Some overdue good news seems to be on the way, however.
Four of the six injured Wheat Kings have resumed practices (with two in no-contact jerseys) and the fifth, forward Nick Johnson, has put skates on and taken some strides on his own. All signs point to some freshly healed players being available for tomorrow night’s game against the Saskatoon Blades.
For the past three games, the Wheat Kings have been contending with not only their scheduled opponents but the determined decimation of the injury bug. In wins over the Spokane Chiefs and Seattle Thunderbirds, the team was missing five, then six regulars from their lineup. Undaunted, they outscored their on-ice opponents a combined 10-4.
“We had a really good week last week,” said head coach and GM Marty Murray. “Our last three games, when we really started to face some adversity, starting in Lethbridge, even though we came up short that night we played well. Last week, winning two big games with a short lineup, I thought the guys performed extremely well.”
The players who have been on the shelf since early October are forward Carter Klippenstein and defenseman Quinn Mantei. Mantei, the Wheat Kings captain, didn’t even travel with the team to Alberta for their games on October 11 and 12.
“All signs point to him (Mantei) playing Friday, barring any setbacks,” said Murray. “He looks good, feels strong, and he even, to me, seems like he has an extra step in his game.”
Klippenstein did travel with the team for those two games and there was some hope he might play, but ultimately he wasn’t able to go. An extra week of rest appears to have done the trick for him too.
“Barring any setbacks, we’re expecting him back as well,” said Murray. “He’s a guy that injects some enthusiasm and energy to our group. We talk about hard skill all the time, I think Carter exemplifies what that is. He’s a guy that, when we get him back in the lineup, he fills a void we had in his absence.”
As for the two players in red jerseys, Easton Odut and Dominik Petr, Murray said Odut is probably not going to break into the lineup this weekend. Petr, however, might have a chance to play as long as they’re sure he’s at 100 percent.
“Confidence is such a big thing,” Murray said. “You can feel good, but you want to have that confidence that everything is ok too. We’re going to tread lightly with that one and see how he is. If it costs us another two games of him in the lineup, in the big picture it’s probably worth it.”
Johnson’s injury goes back to opening weekend and it came at a gut-wrenching time with the power forward fresh off a natural hat trick against the Regina Pats. His progress has been steady since then, and he continues to work his way back.
“He’s been on the ice a few times in sweatpants, he was out today pushing some pucks around,” said Murray. “I’m sure it can’t go fast enough for him, but it’s encouraging to see him out of his walking boot, stickhandling and shooting pucks. He’s got a ways to go yet, but hopefully he’s through the hard part. He’s a guy we’re looking forward to getting back. He had a really strong start to the season and he’s a guy who could have a breakout year for us.”
Murray added the trick now is not to think they’re on easy street just because some players have come back. He wants to see those who stepped up when the team was shorthanded continue that effort level to help push them through a pair of tough opponents in the Saskatoon Blades and Calgary Hitmen.
“We talked about it two weeks ago when we were in the thick of the injuries,” he said. “One of the good things is guys get more responsibility and more opportunity. With that goes more confidence. Hopefully those guys got some confidence playing a little more. As crazy as it is, maybe this makes us stronger in the long run.”
The Wheat Kings face the Blades first, tomorrow night at 7:00.
