PATS HOST KAMLOOPS WEDNESDAY
The Regina Pats (16-14-2-0) continue their five game home stand on Wednesday night against the Kamloops Blazers (14-16-0-1). Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. at the Brandt Centre. The Pats are coming off a 4-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday night on home ice. The Blazers were in action last night in Brandon and lost 3-2 to the Wheat Kings. Tonight is the first and only meeting between the two clubs in 2017-18. The game can be heard starting at 6:35 with Bennett Dunlop Ford Pats Hockey on 620 CKRM.
The Lead Up: Paddock stellar in 4-2 win Saturday
Max Paddock made 32 saves and Robbie Holmes scored with just over four minutes left to give the Pats a 4-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre. The Pats took a 1-0 lead just 53 seconds in when Matt Bradley tipped in his team leading 20th. However the Tigers responded with two goals and led 2-1 after the opening period. Emil Oksanen scored with just over three minutes left in the second, his 12th, and the game was tied 2-2 heading to the third. In the final frame, Robbie Holmes put home a rebound for his sixth with just over four minutes left and that stood up as the game winner. Jake Leschyshyn added an empty netter late and the Pats took the two points, 4-2 the final score. Cale Fleury led the offence with three assists while Jake Leschyshyn and Emil Oksanen both scored once and added an assist. Regina outshot Medicine Hat 46-34, the club did not have a PP and the PK was four for five
Head to Head
Tonight is the first and only meeting of the year between the Pats and Blazers. The Regina won the lone meeting last year in Kamloops 3-0 on the back of a 37 save Tyler Brown shutout and goals from Adam Brooks, Austin Wagner and Sergey Zborovskiy. Connor Ingram stopped 32 of 33 shots faced for the Blazers who gave up two empty netters in the final two minutes of the third. The Pats enter Wednesday in the first wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference with 34 points. The Blazers have 29 points, one behind Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Steel and Mahura Gone
Pats captain Sam Steel and defenceman Josh Mahura are both gone to St. Catharines, Ontario for Team Canada selection camp for the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championships. The two left Monday for selection camp, it will be Steel’s second crack at making the national squad while Mahura is taking part in his first selection camp. Steel leaves having picked up points in 11 of his last 14 games with 10 goals and seven assists in that stretch. Mahura currently leads all WHL defencemen with 11 goals and is tied for seventh overall with 29 points.
Paddock Streaking
Pats goaltender Max Paddock is coming off a fifth straight win on Saturday against Medicine Hat. The 17-year-old out of Brandon has gone 5-0-0-0 in the last five games he has started, giving up just 10 goals in that stretch. Paddock has put up a .930 save percentage and a 2.00 GAA in those games to improve his record to 6-3-0-0 on the season.
Upcoming Schedule
Pats Vs Saskatoon – Friday December 15, 7 p.m. – Brandt Centre (CKRM)
Pats Vs Lethbridge – Saturday December 16, 7 p.m. – Brandt Centre (CKRM)
Pats @ Saskatoon – Sunday December 17, 4 p.m. – Sasktel Centre (CKRM)
(Phil Andrews/ReginaPats.com)
