PATS RING UP ANOTHER HUGE WIN

Regina, Sask. — The Regina Pats are now within two points of the eighth and final playoff spot, thanks to a convincing 4-1 win over the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre.

It was the Pats’ second win in as many nights, and an efficient one, where they out-shot the Hitmen 36-20.

Saturday was also a historical night for Connor Bedard, who surpassed the 100-point milestone in his Western Hockey League career, one year to the day of making his junior hockey debut.

Four Pats — including Bedard — registered multi-point nights, with Cole Dubinsky (1G-1A), Tanner Howe (2A) and Neithan Salame (1G-1A) each joining Bedard (2G). With the two goals, the 16-year-old increased his point streak to 17 games, during which he has produced 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points. It’s the longest active point streak in the league.

Drew Sim stopped 19 of 20 shots he faced in the Pats crease for his fifth win of the season.

The lone Calgary goal came off the stick of Anton Yatsyshin.

Regina went 1-for-4 on the power play, and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, which included killing off a 5-on-3.

With the win, the Pats are two points out of the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference, currently held by Prince Albert (50 points), but the Pats have two games in hand. Regina is also still four points back of the 7th-place Lethbridge Hurricanes, who won on Saturday, but they also have two games in hand on them.

(ReginaPats.com)