2016 Playoff Run
The 2015-16 Brandon Wheat Kings are considered by most as one of the very best teams in franchise history. With this year's “Wheaties” putting in a bid for the 2026 Memorial Cup, it is a perfect time to look back at some of the most dominant teams in the Wheat Kings archives.
This edition of the Memorial Cup Throwback features a look at the first three rounds of Brandon's run to the Memorial Cup. Take a trip down memory lane below:
Round 1 vs. Edmonton
The Brandon Wheat Kings' playoffs opened up with a Round 1 rematch from the year before against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The No. 8 seed Oil Kings came into Brandon and stole the first two games of the series, shocking fans and leaving the Wheat Kings looking for answers.
After two greasy playoff-styled games the Wheat Kings took over. Four-straight wins - three of them on the road - sent Brandon on to face the Moose Jaw Warriors in Round 2.
GM 1 Edmonton Oil Kings 4 - 2 at Brandon Wheat Kings
GM 2 Edmonton Oil Kings 2 - 1 at Brandon Wheat Kings
GM 3 Brandon Wheat Kings 3 - 1 at Edmonton Oil Kings
GM 4 Brandon Wheat Kings 5 - 0 at Edmonton Oil Kings
GM 5 Brandon Wheat Kings 5 - 2 at Edmonton Oil Kings
GM 6 Edmonton Oil Kings 3 - 10 at Brandon Wheat Kings
Round 2 vs. Moose Jaw
Brandon took care of Moose Jaw rather easily and sent them packing in just five games. On their toes from the slow start in Round 1, the Wheat Kings did not wait to pounce on a skilled Moose Jaw team led by Brayden Point.
An early game-tying goal by John Quenneville in the third period of Game 1 seemed to give the Wheat Kings a boost, as Tanner Kaspick scored the game-winner a few moments later. The Wheat Kings carried their momentum into Game 2 at Westman Place and took care of business with a 5-2 win.
Heading to Moose Jaw, Wheat Kings fans were confident, but the duo of Jayden Halbgewachs and Tanner Jeannot combined for four goals in a convincing 7-1 victory in front of the Warriors' home crowd. But just like the regular season, the Wheat Kings thrived after being blown out, outsourcing the Warriors 13-5 in the final two games with the Tim MaGauly-John Quenneville-Reid Duke line taking charge with more than half of the 13 goals.
GM 1 Moose Jaw Warriors 3 - 5 at Brandon Wheat Kings
GM 2 Moose Jaw Warriors 2 - 5 at Brandon Wheat Kings
GM 3 Brandon Wheat Kings 1 - 7 at Moose Jaw Warriors
GM 4 Brandon Wheat Kings 6 - 2 at Moose Jaw Warriors
GM 5 Moose Jaw Warriors 3 - 7 at Brandon Wheat Kings
Round 3 vs Red Deer
Red Deer gave Brandon its biggest test through the entire playoff despite losing in five games. Red Deer was all-in as the host of the 2016 Memorial Cup and the team led by Jake DeBrusk and Haydn Fleury never backed down throughout those five games.
After a tight Game 1 where Jordan Papirny was the hero with some huge saves, Brandon won its sixth-straight playoff home game in Game 2. Back in Red Deer it was the same storyline as the previous round, as Red Deer handed Brandon a huge 6-2 loss on the backs of six different goal scorers.
The Wheat Kings seemed to follow the same pattern throughout the whole year; win a couple games, get blown out, and then take care of business. In Games 4 and 5 they did just that, outshooting the Rebels 9-2 with Nolan Patrick having seven points in those two games, and now for the second season in a row Brandon found itself in the finals.
GM 1 Red Deer Rebels 3 - 4 at Brandon Wheat Kings OT
GM 2 Red Deer Rebels 4 - 6 at Brandon Wheat Kings
GM 3 Brandon Wheat Kings 2 - 6 at Red Deer Rebels
GM 4 Brandon Wheat Kings 4 - 2 at Red Deer Rebels
GM 5 Red Deer Rebels 2 - 5 at Brandon Wheat Kings
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Game On's Jackson Bachewich has produced this five-part series set for release in advance of puck drop on the 2024-25 WHL season. The remaining pieces will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned for the next two stories released in Game On's Memorial Cup Throwback Series.
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