FOUR SEASONS SPORTS PALACE PREVIEW: CHIEFS AT PATS

Keith Hershmiller Photography

SPOKANE (3-4-1-1) at REGINA (7-0-3)
7 pm, Friday, October 21/2016
CKRM2 (www.sportscage.ca)

OVERVIEW:  The Regina Pats wrap up a 2-game mini homestand Friday evening when they host the Spokane Chiefs in their annual “Pink Game” to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness.  It’s the one and only meeting of the year between the teams in the WHL’s interlocking schedule.  Last season the Pats won 7-2 at Spokane on January 9.

LAST GAME: The Pats notched their third straight win Wednesday evening with a 7-1 home victory over Lethbridge … Sam Steel and Filip Ahl each scored twice with singles coming from Rykr Cole and Nick Henry before 3548 in the Brandt Centre … The Pats outshot the ‘Canes 37-23 while Tyler Brown picked up the win in goal.

PATS NOTES: The Pats enter the weekend as the #2 ranked team in the nation according to the CHL’s Top 10 … Regina is tied with Swift Current for the Eastern Conference lead … The Pats are the only team in the CHL who’s yet to lose in regulation time … Regina is tied with Medicine Hat for the most goals scored in the WHL (50) and are second-best in the Eastern Conference in goals against (29) … The Pats are 4-0-3 at home.

PATS LEADERS: Sam Steel (9-10-19), Filip Ahl (6-7-13), Jake Leschyshyn (5-8-13).

DUB LEADERS: Steel leads the league in points as well as shorthanded goals (2) and is 2nd in insurance goals (2) … Teammates Sergey Zborovskiy and Chase Harrison are tied for the WHL’s plus/minus lead at +15.

CHIEFS NOTES: Spokane opens its East Division swing Friday night and carries a 1-2-0 road record … Their leaders are Kailer Yamamoto (7-8-15), Keanu Yamamoto (2-7-9) and Jaret Anderson-Dolan (4-3-7).

ISN’T THAT SPECIAL: Regina is 5th-ranked in the WHL in both powerplay (28%) and penalty kill (85%) … Spokane is 4th-ranked on the man advantage (28.1) and 18th killing penalties (71.1%).

ELSEWHERE FRIDAY: Lethbridge at Brandon, PA at Edmonton, Medicine Hat at Kootenay, Calgary at Red Deer, Saskatoon at Kamloops, Tri-City at Kelowna, Swift Current at Victoria, Portland at Seattle.

UP NEXT: The Pats will visit the Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday at 7:00 pm on 620 CKRM.

RP
@rodpedersen