PATS GAME DAY: VS WHEAT KINGS

Brandon (32-29-9) at Regina (39-25-6)
7 pm Friday, Brandt Centre Regina
620 CKRM
Press Box Sports Bar Pregame Show 6:35 pm

Head-to-Head
The Regina Pats (39-25-3-3) and the Brandon Wheat Kings (32-29-6-3) go head-to-head to finish up the WHL’s Regular Season with a home and home set beginning tonight in Regina.  It’s the seventh meeting of the season between the inter-provincial rivals with the Pats holding a 3-2-1-0 record against the Wheat Kings.  Their last dust up saw the Pats triumph over an injury depleted Wheat Kings squad with Daniel Wapple picking up the shutout in a 4-0 win.  Dyson Stevenson and Chandler Stephenson lead the Pats with nine points each in six games.  Richard Nejezchleb and Peter Quenneville are the top Wheat Kings in the season series, both featuring eight points versus Regina.  Coming into tonight’s game, the Pats got back in the win column to position themselves just one win away from the East Division title while the Wheat Kings picked up a pivotal 8-5 win over Saskatoon to keep themselves in the playoff picture.  This evening’s game can be heard on 620 CKRM starting at 6:35 p.m. CST.

620 CKRM Fan Appreciation Night and 2013-14 Player Awards
It’s a night where the Pats say “thank you” to our fans.  Great prizes are up for grabs all night, highlighted by an Elimination Shootout for an Arctic Spa courtesy Sunset Bay Leisure, a shoot-to-win for an RV courtesy of Traveland RV and 620 CKRM will give away $1,000 to a fan in attendance.  The Pats will also present their 2013-14 Player Awards at tonight’s game including their Player of the Year, Defenceman of the Year, Rookie of the Year and many more.

Lead Up: Pats Beat Up Raiders in 7-1 Win
Prince Albert got on the board just 34 seconds in, but the remaining 59:26 belonged to the Pats.  Dyson Stevenson and Connor Gay each scored twice, Morgan Klimchuk and Chandler Stephenson scored shorthanded and Dryden Hunt scored his 20th of the season.  Dawson MacAuley made 28 stops in the 7-1 victory for his 25th win of the season.

Playoff Picture
The Pats’ win over Prince Albert Wednesday makes things simple.  The Blue and White need just one point in their remaining two games or for the Swift Current Broncos to lose one game to clinch the division.  The Wheat Kings are in a three way battle with Prince Albert and Red Deer for the final two spots in the playoffs.

Home Series
This season series has heavily favoured the home-side with both teams winning three times in their friendly barns.  The Pats have outscored the Wheat Kings 13-5 at the Brandt Centre and held them to one goal or less in two of three games.

Shorthanded Snipers
Chandler Stephenson scored his 8th shorthanded goal of the season against Prince Albert Wednesday.  That’s more than any Pats player at least 18 years.  Morgan Klimchuk followed him by scoring his 5th shorthanded tally of the season.  Their combined 13 gives Stephenson and Klimchuk more shorthanded goals than all but three teams in the WHL (excluding the Pats).  Regina leads the league with 17 shorthanded goals overall.

Who to Watch on Brandon
The 2013 4th Overall WHL Bantam Draft pick, Nolan Patrick made his WHL Regular Season debut this past week against Saskatoon.  Patrick put up 63 points in 39 points with the Winnipeg Thrashers in Manitoba Midget AAA this season.

Upcoming Schedule
at Brandon – Saturday, March 15th, 7:00 p.m. – Westman Place (CKRM)

(Courtesy Daniel Fink/Pats PR)