They chose to go slowly and carefully Thursday, rather than wait until Friday for conditions to possibly improve some more.

The Brandon Wheat Kings left mid-Thursday afternoon for Central Saskatchewan as they are slated to finish up their W-H-L regular-season schedule Friday night in Saskatoon and Saturday in Prince Albert. According to Manitoba’s Highway Hotline, roads in the Brandon area are closed, but the Wheaties are on the way, apparently. Most highways had been closed since early Wednesday because of the blizzard that rocked Southern Manitoba and South-Eastern Saskatchewan. Part of the reason for getting here tonight is to be settled in advance of a huge game with standings implications for, both, the Blades and Wheat Kings. Bridge City Bunch goaltender Nolan Maier knows what they are…..

A Blue and Gold win Friday keeps their hopes of finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference alive in a series with Moose Jaw. An overtime or shootout loss insures the Blades finish no worse than fifth and a first round playoff meeting with the Warriors while a regulation win for Brandon Friday and another win Saturday in Prince Albert drops Saskatoon into sixth spot and a first r0und match-up with Red Deer. Also among Friday’s 10 games is the Raiders in Swift Current with the Broncos in the eighth and final playoff spot, one point up on Calgary and two ahead of P-A and Regina.