Semifinal Friday . . . more pregame

DAY 8 AT THE 2010 MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP . . .

UPDATE: The Brandon Wheat Kings have scratched F Jesse Sinatynski, D Jordan Hale and D Ryley Miller. . . F Scott Glennie, who left Wednesday’s game in the second period, is in the lineup. . . . They are starting Jacob DeSerres in goal. . . . The Calgary Hitmen have scratched D Peter Kosterman, D Jaynen Rissling, who was injured in the first period of Game 1 here, F Justin Kirsch and F Rigby Burgart. . . . Kirsch played in Wednesday’s 5-1 victory over Brandon, taking the spot of F Cody Sylvester, who was ill. With F Brandon Kozun (ankle) back in tonight, Burgart comes out. . . . G Martin Jones, who has won five straight starts against Brandon, is in goal for Calgary, as he has been through all of this tournament. . . . The referees are Nicolas Dutil (QMJHL) and Pat Smith (WHL). . . . The linesmen are Justin Hull and Trent Knorr.
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SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A victory over Calgary would send Brandon into the Memorial Cup final for the first time since 1979, when it lost 2-1 in OT to the Peterborough Petes in Verdun, Que. . . . The Wheat Kings lost in the Memorial Cup semifinal in 1995 (Kamloops) and 1996 (Peterborough). . . . Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner/GM and head coach, played on that 1978-79 Wheat Kings but had a broken arm and sat out the 1979 Memorial Cup. . . . This semifinal marks the 11th time this season that Brandon and Calgary have faced each other. The Wheat Kings won the regular-season series 3-0-0-1. Calgary won the Eastern Conference final, 4-1. . . . And, of course, Calgary won 5-1 here on Wednesday to earn home-team designation in the semifinal. . . . Brandon had the WHL’s best regular-season home record (28-6-0-2), but has lost six of its last eight games at Westman Place. . . . This season, the Hitmen are 4-1 against the Wheat Kings in Westman Place.