BLADES 5 PATS 2
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| Photo courtesy Steve Hiscock |
Saskatoon, SK – The Regina Pats have followed up a seven game winning streak with back-to-back divisional losses over the weekened. The Pats (30-25-3-4) made their final trip to the SaskTel Centre to take on the Saskatoon Blades (24-33-4-0) Saturday night and allowed the Blades to score four times in the first period on the way to a 5-2 win.
Game Story
It wasn’t the start the Pats envisioned in Saskatoon when the Blades scored four goals in a 4:13 span during the first period. Cameron Hausinger started it off at the 8:17 mark scoring on a scramble. Ryan Graham followed that up a minute later on a breakaway. Wyatt Sloboshan and Graham rounded out the run, both scoring on backhands from the faceoff circle. The Pats got one back in the frame when Rykr Cole’s far-pad rebound was fought into the net by Chase Harrison to cut the Blades lead to 4-1 before the end of the frame.
The Pats came out firing in the second period, keeping the Blades on the defensive most of the frame. Despite outshooting Saskatoon 17-8, the Pats couldn’t find a way to beat Brock Hamm who made 29 saves through forty minutes of play. Austin Wagner had a great chance to cut the lead to two in the final seconds of period, but his breakaway was stopped by Hamm to leave the Pats trailing 4-1 heading to the third.
The Pats continued to struggle to find the back of the net in the third despite outshooting Blades by a 13-8 mark in the period. With time ticking away, and the Pats heading to the powerplay, the Pats elected to bring Tyler Brown to the bench with over six minutes left. The gamble paid off as Adam Brooks struck on the powerplay, sneaking a slap shot by Hamm to make it a two goal lead. That was as close as the Pats came as Graham completed the hat-trick into the, once again, empty net with 1:26 left sending the Blades to the 5-2 win.
Quick Hits
– Tyler Brown made his 18th straight appearance in the Pats goal.
– The Pats haven’t lost back to back games in over a month, their last were three in a row Jan. 13, 14 and 16.
– Game attendance was 4,683.
What’s Next?
The Pats host the Red Deer Rebels on Monday in an 11:30 a.m. matchup in front of 4,300 students at the Brandt Centre. Limited tickets are available for walk-up purchase at the Brandt Centre Box Office and Safeway locations throughout Regina.
(With files from Daniel Fink/Regina Pats)
Yab a dab a dooooooooo Go Blades Go.
Go where…golfing?
Lol!
the blades are playing some real good hockey !aww too bad too little to late something people in Saskatoon are all too used to hahaha
This should put the brakes on all the talk we heard onFriday about Regina playing Moose Jaw in the first round. PA and MJ had something to say about that. There will be playing Brandon or Lethbridge and have a tough first round series.
LP
Two evenly matched teams trying out for the cellar. Making the playoffs for either team gives false hope to the fans for this year and next. It's easier to accept reality.
The Pats are who we thought they were.
The pats had been playing poorly and winning and it caught up to them. I was at Saturday's game and much like Friday the Pats were unwilling to get dirty and score garbage goals. They were not fighting to get rebounds in the hard greasy areas. Brown wasn't good. Maybe the fact they are rather small is starting to become an issue. They are not winning battles. Come playoff time that's how the game is played. Last year Paddock had them playing a hard forecheck game and up to the trade deadline they were a .600 club, and playing really… Read more »
ya the Pats 99.99% will get a wildcard slot and meet up with PA or Brandon first round.
You meant Brandon or Lethbridge I believe.
Yea the bad start didn't help but they totally owned Blades after the 1st period. Bottom line was the Blades won because of thier tender not because the Pats weren't gutting it out in the greasy areas. 32 shots in 2nd & 3rd with 1 goal to show for it…Hamm deserved #1 Star not #2. I don't think JP has changed his overall philosophy…changing the "game plan" is sometimes done depending on your opponent…that's why opposition is scouted. When you have over 90 shots in 2 games and score 3 goals it tells you someting about the opposition goaltending not… Read more »
The Blades are a poor hockey team. To be owned by them for only one period is a poor standard for success. Hot goalies or not when the battle is for the bottom of the division there is not much to say. Eighth place teams are in the playoffs so that eighth place owners can pick up extra cash. A reward for futility.
first congrats to Dryden Hunt on a pro contract. second just the number of shots on goal do not paint a whole picture. having players to tip in or get rebounds are needed. Third its time to get Brownie a rest.
Go Pats Go
The Blades, now healthy, are not a poor team. You are dilutional if you think that.
……. most of the Pat's shots last night were from the outside the same as Friday night. I'm not buying two great goaltenders in two nights. These guys are average WHL tenders who seen the pucks all night. When you have nearly 90 shots??? and score three goals I think there is another issue. Get outscored 8-3 and lose both games. Teams need to bury chances and Pats didn't. Bad habits crept in and the Pats paid for that. Like Paddock said winning games you shouldn't and weak play leads to problems. Feeling sorry for yourself etc. They now have… Read more »
ya Brandon or Lethbridge, I stand corrected