VIGR RECAP: PATS STAY ALIVE, BEAT BRONCOS 3-2 IN GAME 5

Facing elimination in the WHL Playoffs at home Friday night against Swift Current, the Pats came out flying but couldn’t find a way to beat Bronco goalie Jordan Papirny despite holding an early 6-0 edge on the shot clock.

In fact it was the Broncos’ Colby Scissons who opened the scoring – on the powerplay – at the 17:16 mark of period one.

However Pats star Sam Steel tied the game while on the man advantage with just 13 seconds remaining in the opening frame.  1-1 after 20 minutes.

Regina opened a 3-1 lead in the middle period on goals by Connor Hobbs and Nick Henry but the lead seemed tenuous at best.

Things got very interesting in the third when Regina forward Austin Wagner received a 5-minute major for kneeing at the 8:52 mark, ending his evening. It was not a popular call judging by the reaction of the sellout crowd of 6484 in the Brandt Centre.

Swift Current struck once on the enusing powerplay – from Glen Gawdin with 6:43 remaining – to make it a 3-2 game.

However that’s as close as the Broncos would get, even with Papirny being pulled for the extra attacker with just over a minute to go.

Game over: Pats 3 Broncos 2

Regina outshot Swift Current 36-32 while going 1/4 on the powerplay and 5/7 on the penalty kill.

Tyler Brown was sharp in the Pats net, making 30 saves to collect the victory.

Pats captain Adam Brooks – absent since Game 2 with a lower body injury – dressed for the game but did not see the ice.  Teammate Filip Ahl returned to the lineup after being injured in Game 2 as well, and saw a fair share of icetime.

So the teams go to Swift Current for Game 6 on Saturday night with the Broncos leading this WHL Eastern Conference Semifinal 3-2.

Faceoff is 7:00 pm MT on 620 CKRM, Access and Shaw.

RP

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ELSEWHERE:

HURRICANES 5 TIGERS 4

MEDICINE HAT, Sask., – Tyler Wong struck twice and Stuart Skinner made 37 saves as Lethbridge beat the Tigers to take a 3-2 lead in its second-round series.

Ryan Bowen, Ryan Vandervlis and Brennan Riddle also scored for the Hurricanes, who host Game 6 on Sunday.

Max Gerlach had a pair of goals for Medicine Hat. David Quenneville and Clayton Kirichenko also scored while Michael Bullion stopped 22-of-27 shots in defeat.

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THUNDERBIRDS 4 SILVERTIPS 1

KENT, Wash. – Keegan Kolesar had two goals and an assist as Seattle beat Everett to sweep its second-round matchup in four games.

Donovan Neuls and Mathew Barzal also scored for the Thunderbirds, who got a 24-save outing from Carl Stankowski.

Dominic Zwerger responded for the Silvertips. Cartr Hart turned away 27-of-31 shots in a losing cause.

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ROCKETS 6 WINTERHAWKS 2

KELOWNA, B.C. – Reid Gardiner had four goals and two assists as the Rockets toppled Portland to take their second-round series 4-1.

Dillon Dube added a goal and three helpers for Kelowna while Rodney Southam also scored. Michael Herringer made 27 saves for the win.

Joachim Blichfeld and Matt Revel supplied the offence for the Winterhawks, who got a 38-save outing from Cole Kehler.

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(With files from the Canadian Press)