Twice the Wheat Kings erased Regina Pats leads in their first visit of the season to the Brandt Centre, but for the first time this season, and the first time since a loss in Moose Jaw in 2024-25, the shootout went against them.
Brady Turko and Kris Muissu scored in regulation for the Wheat Kings, who fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Pats. Ryley Budd stopped 26 of 28 shots he faced and was named second star of the game.
“It seemed to be pretty tight out there,” said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. “There weren’t a ton of chances either way. You had to fight for every inch of ice tonight, it maybe even had a little bit of a playoff feel where you had to work really hard for your chances.”
Though they killed the first Pats’ power play of the game, the Wheat Kings surrendered the opening goal. Samuel Karsay, filling in at the left point for a defenseman who had pinched up, fired a shot through traffic that eluded Budd to open the scoring.
On their own first power play, however, the Wheat Kings got their response. Easten Turko put the puck in Joby Baumuller’s wheelhouse for a one-timer, and the shot went off of Brady Turko and in to tie the game.
The long goal of the second period went Regina’s way, and it was Karsay again. The Pats won a battle behind the Wheat Kings’ net and fed it out front, and Karsay jumped on it and one-timed home his second of the contest.
The dam burst very suddenly for the Wheat Kings in the third period. With four minutes to go, Jaxon Jacobson picked off a pass behind the Pats net and instantly fed it out front Muissu, who slipped his 12th of the season between Taylor Tabashniuk and the post.
Overtime produced chances en masse, and even a late power play for Regina. What it did not produce was a winning goal. For the second consecutive, the two teams headed to a shootout.
In the shootout, Muissu buried the second shot for Brandon with a slick backhand-forehand move, but two Pats 20-year-olds, Ellis Mieyette and Keets Fawcett, scored at the other and the Wheat Kings fell in extra time for the first time this season 3-2.
It’s a quick turnaround for the Wheat Kings as they travel home to host the Saskatoon Blades tomorrow. Puck drop is 6:00.
