Victoria, BC -- Special teams proved to be the difference again Tuesday night as the Brandon Wheat Kings dropped their third straight game on their annual west coast road trip.
Alex Gogolev's powerplay goal at the 1:58 mark of overtime lifted the Victoria Royals to a come from behind 4-3 victory over the Wheat Kings, who saw their record on this trip slip to 1-2-1 and 6-5-2-0 overall.
Gogolev's game winner was the Royals' third powerplay goal on the night and it came on a questionable checking-to-the-head minor penalty to Brandon defenceman Tyler Yaworski.
Alessio Bertaggia, Eric Roy and Tim McGauley scored for the Wheat Kings, who led 2-1 after forty minutes following a scoreless first period.
Corbin Boes stopped 28 shots for the Wheat Kings, who have now won just two of their last nine games.
Brandon finished the night with nine minor penalties and Wheat Kings' assistant coach Darren Ritchie says when you put yourself in that position that many times, you're asking for trouble.
“I think we just took too many penalties tonight,” Ritchie told Bruce Luebke on CKLQ’s post-game show. “When you have nine kills on the night, you’re just playing the same guys and it just wears the players down. You’re not playing enough guys enough minutes and I think that hurt us.”
Tuesday's game marked the Wheat King debut for new assistant coach David Anning and 19-year old center Chad Robinson. Robinson, who was acquired from the Red Deer Rebels on Monday for a conditional seventh round draft choice, finished the night with a -1 and one of Brandon's many minor penalties. Anning meanwhile joined the club over the weekend after beginning the year as an assistant coach and general manager of the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Brandon's west coast trip continues Wednesday night in Vancouver against Liam Liston and the Giants. The pre-game show on 880 CKLQ will begin at 8:35 pm. The Wheat Kings will then close out the trip this weekend with games in Kamloops and Prince George, before returning home to play host to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, November 2nd.
Tickets to all remaining home games are on sale now at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at keystonecentre.com
