The Regina Pats are looking for more wins

By Olivia Lawrence 

RP Show Intern

The Regina Pats Western Hockey League (WHL) season has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride so far. The team started their season with two wins, but then went through seven straight losses. At the end of October however, the team was able to turn things around against the Swift Current Broncos and clinch a win. Since then, the team is on a four game win-streak, and will go for their fifth consecutive win on Wednesday night (Nov 10) against the Red Deer Rebels. 

This is the first time the current Eastern Conference leaders have faced the Rebels this season. Rod Pedersen invited Regina Pats General Manager John Paddock on Wednesday’s episode of the Rod Pedersen Show to discuss the much-needed wins that have happened the past few weeks. 

“I’m not a person that believes in luck necessarily, but I think we’re finally getting some puck luck,” said Paddock.  “I don’t think our game has changed a lot through the first 13 games. When we were 2-4, 2-5, 2-6, 2-7, we thought that we deserved better, not that we deserve 7-2, but just that we deserve better. So I think it’s balanced out a little bit, in those first seven games we hit Winnipeg three times, they appear to maybe be the class of their Conference. So that’s a little bit of a tough thing to start with, but those things even out.”

Rod Pedersen pointed out that in the last few games, players beyond the Pats first line are starting to put some serious points on the board, which means there could be more good things to come. 

”They’re good players, and they’re going to be even better at Christmas time then they are now, and after Christmas when they get through a break,” said Paddock. “Dave [the Pats head coach],  has always said since my first year here, that the players take off, and when I say ‘take off’, we don’t expect them to become the best players in the league, or superstars, but they’re going to take another step and that’s what a young team is all about as you make progress.”

The Pats superstar Connor Bedard got one assist in the team’s last game against Brandon (Nov.6) where they won 6-1. Bedard seemed happy, despite missing some scoring opportunities. Rod could not end this hockey discussion without asking Paddock how he thinks Bedard is doing so far.

“He looks like he’s just as happy when the team wins or when somebody else scores, to when he does it,” said Paddock. “That’s the kind of person he is. I think he for sure wants to be scoring more, and he’s a little bit frustrated at times he misses by just inches, but last I looked, not necessarily up to date, he was leading the league with shots on goal. Is that a complete indicator? No, but there’s some nights where the puck just hasn’t gone in. He’s missing by such a small amount that he’ll be breaking out in a big way soon, I believe.”

Maybe the beginning of it will be this Wednesday night?