PADDOCK ON SWIFT CURRENT, TYSON JOST
Regina Pats Head Coach & GM John Paddock made his weekly appearance on 620 CKRM’s SportsCage on Tuesday discussing the upcoming Round 2 of the WHL Playoffs, and the availability of forward Tyson Jost to play with the Pats next year.
More on Jost in a minute but first Paddock addressed their second round opponent – the Swift Current Broncos – who disposed of Moose Jaw in Game 7 on Monday night.
“I saw Games 5 and 7 in Moose Jaw and watched Game 6 on the WHL site,” Paddock offered. “After watching Game 5, I wasn’t surprised that Swift Current won. They were playing a better team game and they managed to squeak it out.”
The Pats were 7-0-1 against the Broncos during the regular year and swept Swift Current in the 2015 Playoffs. However Paddock said that’s all ancient history.
“Somebody said that today,” Paddock scoffed. “I know we played them two years ago in the playoffs but that’s like saying ‘So-and-so played together 18 years ago’. Whatever. That’s all irrelevant at this point. We all know anything can happen in the playoffs. Their core players are playing really good, their first four forwards, their first four D and their goaltender are all at the top of their game. It all makes for a real solid series.”
As for Tyson Jost, the 18-year old forward from St. Albert, AB is Pats property but played at the University of North Dakota this season (along with representing Canada at the World Juniors). He recently signed with the Colorado Avalanche and made his NHL debut last week.
That burned his remaining eligibility in the NCAA so the question now is where will he play next season: the NHL, AHL or WHL with Regina?
“That seems to be up in the air,” Paddock explained. “I’ve been talking to two or three different people from different groups who you think would know. Let me just say that I think (playing in Regina) is a possibility. But even it it’s a possibility, it’s still sort of an irrelevant thing.
“I think if Tyson can make the Colorado Avalanche next year, that’s where he’ll play. If Sam Steel can make the Anaheim Ducks, that’s where he’ll play. If Jake Bean can make the Carolina Hurricanes, that’s where he’ll play. That’s what the situation is now.
“I’d like to think that if that’s not the case for Tyson, I would hope that the Colorado Avalanche would see fit that Regina is the best place for him to play.”
The Pats open Round 2 of the WHL Playoffs Thursday at home against Swift Current on 620 CKRM, Access and Shaw.
RP
@rodpedersen
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MEANWHILE IN LETHBRIDGE…
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Ryan Vandervlis scored twice, including the winner, as the Lethbridge Hurricanes defeated the Red Deer Rebels 6-2 on Tuesday to win their Western Hockey League playoff series.
Brennan Menell had a pair of power-play goals for Lethbridge, which won the best-of-seven series 4-3. Jordy Bellerive had a short-handed goal and Giorgio Estephan also scored for the Hurricanes, who will play the Medicine Hat Tigers in the next round of the post-season starting on Friday. Stuart Skinner made 31 saves for the win.
Lane Zablocki and Brandon Hagel replied for Red Deer. Riley Lamb started in net for the Rebels, stopping 15-of-19 shots before Bellerive’s goal near the midway point of the second period chased him from net. Lasse Petersen turned aside 10-of-12 shots in relief.
Lethbridge went 4 for 6 on the power play and Red Deer was 0 for 3 with the man advantage.
