JLB GAME RECAP: PATS FACING ELIMINATION
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| Keith Hershmiller Photography |
REGINA — Tanner Kaspick’s goal at 3:36 of overtime was the winner as the Brandon Wheat Kings came back to defeat the Pats 3-2 Wednesday night in the Brandt Centre, and push Regina to the brink of elimination for the first time in the 2015 WHL Playoffs.
Coming off a 3-2 victory at home in Game 3 on Tuesday in the Queen City, the Pats were out to even up their second round series with another home victory Wednesday evening.
However it was the Wheat Kings who led 1-0 after the first period in Game 4 on a goal by Nolan Patrick in the final minute of the frame.
A pair of Pats goals – from Colby Williams and Connor Hobbs – in the second period gave Regina the lead going to the third. Williams got the Pats on the board by converting a breakaway after stepping out of the penalty box midway through the period.
The Pats were on their heels for much of the third, thanks in part to playing nearly seven minutes down a man. Defenceman Connor Hobbs was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing at the 7:22 mark of the third, on a play which looked like a simply hard, clean, open-ice hip check.
Brandon’s Peter Quenneville tied the game at 2-2 on the ensuing powerplay and the teams held on for overtime.
That’s when Kaspick struck, giving Brandon the win and a 3-1 series lead in the best-of-seven.
Regina was outshot 48-32 while going 1/3 on the powerplay and 3/4 killing penalties.
Pats goalie Daniel Wapple was named the game’s #1 star making 45 saves in a losing cause. Brandon’s Jordan Papirny netted the win with 30 stops.
The attendance was 5161.
Regina now faces elimination Friday evening in Game 5 at Brandon in a 6:30 pm start (Press Box Sports Bar Pregame Show at 6:05 pm). Game 6, if necessary, will go Sunday evening in the Brandt Centre.
Pats better book their tee off early Sat. morning because it is all over. I don't like to brag but I did call it Wheaties in 4 or 5 games. See ya next year Pats. Go Wheaties Go !.
I wasn't at the game so I will just ask the question.
Was the Hobbs hit a legitimate major or did Regina get jobbed?
Jerry
Heartbreaker!!:(
I watched both games – all I can tell you is yes Brandon is good, but the WHL must really want Kelly McCrimmon to move that team forward in these playoffs. The officiating last night to quote Dusty Rhodes was…shameful.
Y'er Welcome
Obama
Typical Reginans, always the refs fault.
Don't stereotype anyone here. The officiating was legit awful in both games in Brandon favour.
McCrimmon is the Buono/Hufnagel of the WHL.
Classic brutal WHL officiating…. handed brandon that game. Oh well I guess they need the help. They're a terrible hockey team.
How about Semple having to put a lean on Evraz place. Finally someone sticking up to Mark Allen and bunch.
I sure hope they build their own arena and get out of that orange top dump.
Naming rights for the arena is up for Brandt as well soon. You think after this dust up they will want their name on the rink – I wouldn't
If you build it Queen City sports they will come…
When John Paddock is even more terse than he normally is, you know there 's a problem. He's forgotten more about hockey than most will ever know. His post game comment made it very clear he knew the game was stolen from him. John's no fool. If your a Pats fan there are three guys you never want to see; Byblow, Vetter and Howe. Byblow was disciplined by the League a number of years back for his actions against the Pats in a Pats/Kootenay game where he did something very similar that cost them a game. Also in a Pats/Swift… Read more »
the thing is brandon is a very talented team they dont need the help from the officials too~
Another gem of a game by Byblow and Watt last night. The WHL should be embarrassed with their performance. If the Hobbs hit is a major( which it shouldn't have been) then the Proporov hit on Williams definitely should have been one as well. Where is the consistency, that is all we are asking for. The reffing in this series has been a joke and we have been on the short end of the stick time and time again. How about Game 3 when Reid cross checks Brooks in the face and no call at all by another Pats favorite… Read more »
And what has been even more disturbing is the fact that the league did not issue any supplementary discipline for the hit on Brooks. They have the authority to do that and did not exercise that authority. it's starting to show how this series is being favored.
It's too bad a great product like the WHL is lessened by consistently horrible reffing. I understand that junior hockey is where refs come to cut their teeth if they have any ambition on progressing to the pros but from what I see in the WHL, the pros are in a heap of trouble if they have to pick from the current crop of WHL refs. This isn't being a sore loser either as I know the Pats have also benefited from bad call after bad call as well but it's really unfortunate that bad reffing reffing is coming to… Read more »
If the Pats were leading the series 3-1 the refs would be doing just fine. Brandon does not need the refs to help them because they are a much superior team than Regina and therefore the series will end Friday night in Brandon.
So, the refs are given instructions by the WHL office to make calls in Brandon's favour because they love their coach?? Come on Obama, I thought you had more sense than that.
Well I'm not Pats "fanboy" like the majority of the posters here. I don't buy into any conspiracy theories regarding junior hockey and reffing. That being said, I was at the game last night and the 5 minute major penalty was a very bad call by the officiating crew.
It's amazing what you learn talking with FORMER WHL refs.
RP
Do you mean that WHL officials are given mandates to give Brandon preferential calls specifically or that the refs are given mandates to favor specific teams as motivated by WHL agendas?… Either way is damning and calls into question the integrity of any game results.
care to go into more detail about that comment RP? As for the reffing these past 2 games… game 3 there was nothing wrong with the reffing at all every call was deserved the the refs let the teams play 5on5.. Game 4 the refs made/mssed a lot of calls on both sides. I will agree with the Hobbs 5min major though he lead with the knee and that gets called everytime when the player doesn't get up… to be fair too Pilon never returned to the game either. There should of been 2 5min majors in that game though… Read more »
The goal that won Regina the game on Tuesday should have been disallowed just like the Brandon goal yesterday. The referee right at the net called it a goal and then out of nowhere its a no goal due to goalie contact…. give your heads a shake if you think Brandon is the favorite. Thanks to the thuggery of the Regina Pats Brandon is missing 3 players. (Hawryluk, Bukartz, and Pilon).