PATS PLAYOFF HOPES FADING

Regina, Sask. — The Winnipeg ICE won their 13th consecutive game on Friday night, shutting out the Regina Pats 7-0.

The ICE proved why they’re the top team in the Western Hockey League, getting goals from six different players and smothering the Pats offence, limiting them to just 17 shots all night.

The line of Zachary Benson, Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie was dynamite, combining for five goals at 5-on-5. Savoie potted two, while Benson, Geekie, Alessandro Segafredo, Connor McLennon and Jonas Woo also scored for Winnipeg. Daniel Hauser made 17 saves for his league-leading eighth shutout of the season.

“Where we’re at in the season, this is something we’ve got to file away and just keep moving on,” Pats assistant coach Brad Herauf said after the game. “For us right now, the mission is the playoffs and our next opponent is P.A. For us and where we’re in the standings, if you’re counting the points and stuff like that, obviously tomorrow is a big game. There’s no point in revisiting this. They’re one of the best teams in the country for a reason. When we were on top, they were on the bottom: it’s just kind of the way that junior cycles go sometimes. They’re hitting the peak of their cycle. They’re a real good team.”

Regina was only able to draw one power play all night — going 0-for-1 — while their penalty kill did go 3-for-3.

As far as the standings go, Lethbridge and Calgary both won on Friday, but Prince Albert and Swift Current lost.

The current playoff picture is this: Regina is in 11th, six points back of the 8th-place Swift Current Broncos. The Pats have four games in hand on them. The Pats are three points back of the Calgary Hitmen, who sit in 9th. They are two points back of the 10th-place Prince Albert Raiders, who they have two games in hand on.

(ReginaPats.com)