PATS GAME DAY: VS HURRICANES

Lethbridge (12-46-5) at Regina (34-22-6)
7 pm, Brandt Centre Regina
620 CKRM
(Press Box Sports Bar Pregame Show 6:35 pm)

Head-to-Head
The Regina Pats (34-22-3-3) host the Lethbridge Hurricanes (12-46-2-3) for the second time this season and third meeting overall.  The Pats hold a 1-1-0-0 record against the Hurricanes this season with both teams winning once on the road.  Their last meeting saw the ‘Canes take a 6-3 win from the Pats in a January 1st matinee.  Morgan Klimchuk (3G, 1A) and Jesse Zgraggen (1G, 3A) lead the Pats against the Hurricanes.  Reid Duke is the Hurricanes’ top scorer with four points (2G, 2A) in two games.  Coming into tonight’s game, the Pats have won four straight and points in their last eight while Lethbridge has lost five straight.  This evening’s game can be heard on 620 CKRM starting at 6:35 p.m. CST.

Lead Up: Pats Overcome Hitmen in 5-4 SO Win
The Pats held a two goal lead twice against the Hitmen courtesy of a pair of goals from Morgan Klimchuk along with markers from Dyson Stevenson and Dmitry Sinitsyn.  They wouldn’t be able to maintain the lead in third period as the Hitmen came storming back to force overtime.  The extra time solved nothing so it was off to the shootout.  Jaynen Rissling scored the first goal of the shootout in the 8th round and Logan McVeigh matched him.  Then Ben Thomas fired wide opening the door for Colby Williams to end the game on a great one handed move.


Player of the Week
For the second time this season, a Regina Pat was named the Denny’s WHL Player of the Week.  Morgan Klimchuk earned the honour by posting nine points (6G, 3A) over four Regina wins this week.  The Calgary Flames prospect now sits at 61 points (25G, 36A) in just 48 games played this season.

Streak Killers
In recent weeks, the Pats have had a penchant for ending impressive streaks.  On February 12th, the Kootenay Ice entered with a six game winning streak before having it ended in a 3-2 loss to the Pats.  The Victoria Royals visited the Brandt Centre with an impressive nine game road winning streak and earning points in fourteen straight, only to fall by a similar 3-2 score.  The latest victims were the Calgary Hitmen who rolled into Regina with a nine game run which the Pats stalled in Saturday’s 5-4 shootout victory.

Familiar Foes
Tonight marks the third straight game defenceman Jesse Zgraggen faces off against a team he holds a connection to.  The Over-age defender played 157 games with the Victoria Royals (Friday), 47 with the Calgary Hitmen (Saturday) and Lethbridge (Tonight) is Zgraggen’s home town.  Zgraggen is two games away from reaching 250 for his career.

Who to Watch on Lethbridge
Riley Sheen has emerged as the Hurricanes’ scoring leader since he came over from the Seattle Thunderbirds.  The 19-year old forward has already set a new career high this season with 42 points (16G, 26A) in 53 games split between Lethbridge and Seattle.

Upcoming Schedule
at Swift Current – Wednesday, February 26th, 7:00 p.m. – Credit Union I-Plex (CKRM)
vs. Swift Current – Friday, February 28th, 7:00 p.m. – Brandt Centre (CKRM)
at Moose Jaw – Saturday, March 1st, 7:00 p.m. – Mosaic Place (CKRM)

(Courtesy Daniel Fink/Pats PR)