By Jeff D'Andrea

Wheat Kings score 5 straight to split weekend with Raiders

Mar 11, 2017 | 9:40 PM

The Brandon Wheat Kings scored five straight goals as they knocked off the Prince Albert Raiders 5-3 Saturday at Westman Place in Brandon. The Raiders beat the Wheat Kings 3-1 Friday at the Art Hauser Centre to kick off the home-and-home series.

Saturday’s game was the first time all year the Wheat Kings defeated the Raiders in regulation, as they Raiders finished with a 4-1-1 head-to-head record. Last season during the Wheat Kings’ WHL title winning season, the Raiders had a 4-2 record against them.

It looked good for the Raiders early on, as they got goals from Parker Kelly and Cole Fonstad.

For Kelly, that’s his fifth goal in four games and his 19^th on the year.

Third time’s the charm for Parker Kelly, who puts the Raiders up 1-0. That’s his 5th goal in his last 4 games and 3 vs BWK this year pic.twitter.com/sCIdg3oNVe

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 12, 2017

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Fonstad scored his 11^th goal in his 16-year-old rookie season. He had the game winning goal in Friday’s contest against the Wheaties.

Cole Fonstad, who had the game winner last night vs Brandon, puts the Raiders up 2-0 on the power play. Kadlec’s shot forced that rebound pic.twitter.com/rphITWDT5t

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 12, 2017

It was all Brandon from there as they rattled off five straight goals to take a commanding 5-2 lead in the third period.

They scored 34 seconds apart in the second period to take a 3-2 lead.

Reid Duke had the 2-2 goal.

Brandon scores two goals 34 seconds apart in the second period to take a 3-2 lead midway through second. Reid Duke tied it up pic.twitter.com/fz2vrg7xMd

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 12, 2017

Connor Gutenberg followed that up quickly.

Connor Gutenberg gave the Wheaties the 3-2 lead. The Raiders had a 2-0 lead in the first period pic.twitter.com/x7BAm4m8NK

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 12, 2017

The Raiders were hampered by penalties all night, as they were 6-8 on the penalty kill.

“We spent a lot of time in the box, but a lot of those penalties weren’t even warranted, but that’s the way it goes. You never know what’s going to happen at this level with that,” Raiders associate coach Dave Manson said. “I thought we had opportunities to even up the match, even when we were killing penalties in the second, but we couldn’t finish them.”

The Wheat Kings extended their lead late in the second with a goal from Nolan Patrick, and early in the third from defenceman James Shearer.

Kolten Olynek scored late in the game to make it 5-3.

Logan Thompson, who made three breakaway saves in the third period alone, made a crazy behind-the-back save late in the third to rob Curtis Miske and keep it a two-goal game.

Unbelievable save from Thompson, robbing Miske. No goal after video review pic.twitter.com/4gEC0kJvX0

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 12, 2017

“We knew we were going to get our chances. A couple of those go in and it’s an evened up game,” Manson said. “You have to capitalize on your chances at this level if you’re going to have success. Tonight, we couldn’t do that.”

The final countdown

The Raiders enter the final week of their 2016-17 WHL campaign. They take on the Moose Jaw Warriors on Tuesday on the road, before a season-ending home-and-home series against the Saskatoon Blades Friday and Saturday.

The Raiders will wrap up the year Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre.

Jeff D’Andrea is paNOW’s sports reporter. He can be reached at jdandrea@jpbg.ca or tweet him @jeff_paNOW.