THE WEDNESDAY THRILLER … BY PHIL ANDREWS

Voice of the Pats Phil Andrews

It’s been a busy week and, as always, I have some thoughts and updates on the happenings in the world of sports:

1) It’s not time to panic for the Regina Pats and their fans. The team played quite well on Friday night in Brandon in a 4-2 loss that was close throughout. Yes Saturday was a disappointment but it’s only two games and this team will only get better. Looking forward to Friday in Moose Jaw and in P.A. on Saturday on CKRM.

2) The Pats made a pretty good splash on Tuesday acquiring Pavel Padakin from the Calgary Hitmen for a 3rd round pick in 2017. Padakin is a heck of a player and scored 27 goals last year to go along with 27 assists. Good value for the 3rd round pick in my opinion. Padakin scored the teddy bear toss goal the last two years for the Hitmen. The Pats then released German forward Maximillian Kammerer to get down to the required two European players. Kammerer is a great kid and I wish him all the best. The Pats now have four 20 year olds on the roster. Braden Christoffer, Logan McVeigh and Patrick D’Amico are the others who will look to fill the two remaining spots. The Pats have to get to three in early October.

3) Was really good to see Jared McAmmond get his first WHL goal on Friday, shorthanded in Brandon. If you include the pre-season the 17 year old has three goals when the team is down a man. I’ve even given him the nick name “Shorty”. McAmmond is the son to Ian McAmmond who played three years in the WHL with Prince Albert and Seattle. His uncle is Dean McAmmond who played with Prince Albert and Swift Current where he won a WHL Championship in 1993. Dean went on to play in the NHL from 1993 to 2010. Almost winning a Stanley Cup with the Ottawa Senators in 2007. The kid has a pedigree that’s for sure.

4) Sam Steel has started the regular season with 2 assists in 2 games. Braden Christoffer has a goal and an assist and is tied for the team lead with Steel.

5) Stats aside, Daniel Wapple has been really good in goal through the first two games of the season.

6) The pre-game ceremony at the Brandt Centre was a good one where the team raised the East Division pennant banner at center ice. A big shout-out to all the players and coaches who were a huge part of that season who couldn’t be in attendance on Saturday.

7) Senior VP of Hockey operations and Head Coach John Paddock has been true to his word when it comes to giving everyone ice time. The young guys have played a regular shift through the first two games and have done quite well. Again the future looks bright.

8) Morgan Klimchuk played in his first NHL pre-season game on Sunday in a 1-0 Calgary Flames win over the Edmonton Oilers. T.J. Brodie scored the lone goal of the contest for the Flames. I imagine it could be upwards of a month before the Flames send Klimchuk back if they do.

9) Pats captain Kyle Burroughs remains with the New York Islanders as they continue the pre-season. Burroughs did not play in the split squad games on Monday against Ottawa. If I was a betting man, I don’t think we will see Burroughs in a Pats uniform this weekend. Who knows after that?

10) Former Pats captain Colton Jobke is still with the Minnesota Wild in their training camp.

11) Dyson Stevenson was re-assigned by the Arizona Coyotes on Monday to the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.

12) Former Pat Lane Scheidl did not have his contract renewed by the Worcester Sharks of the AHL after last season. However he is heading to Utica to take part in the Comets AHL camp as a free-agent. He has signed with their ECHL affiliate, the Kalamazoo Wings and will play there if he doesn’t stick in the AHL. It’s a bit of a reunion in Utica for Scheidl with former head coach Pat Conacher who is their Director of Player Personnel.

13) No Regina Pats made the NHL CSS Preliminary Players to watch list for the 2015 draft. However Sergey Zborovskiy, Chase Harrison, Austin Wagner, James Hilsendager, Colton Kroeker, Jared McAmmond, Ryle Zimmer, Rykr Cole and Maximillian Kammerer will look to make that list as the season goes on. They are all playing in their draft year. 42 players from the WHL are on that list.

14) What a start for Swift Current Broncos forward Jay Merkley on opening weekend. Scored a hattrick in their first game a rounded out the weekend with 7 points in two games. No brainer for WHL player of the week.

15) The Saskatoon Blades hit the jackpot trading Russian forward Nikita Scherbak to the Everett Silvertips on Monday. The Blades picked up 17 year old goaltender Nik Amundrud along with a 1st and 2nd round pick. The Silvertips got a great player in Scherbak but the Blades got a lot for him. Scherbak was taken 26th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the last draft. He was named the MVP of the Habs inter-squad game on the weekend.

16) The Regina Thunder are in first place in the PFC after a 43-20 win in Winnipeg on the weekend. The defense scored two touchdowns and quarterback Jaeden Marwick threw for 3 more as the Thunder won their third straight game, all of those on the road. The Thunder are now 4 and 1 on the season, two points ahead of Saskatoon, Winnipeg and the Edmonton Wildcats who are all 3 and 2. The Thunder host the Calgary Colts on Sunday at 1PM at Mosaic. Drew Barss and I will have the call live on Access 7.

17) What a great football game at Mosaic on Sunday. The Riders’ second half was nothing short of remarkable and made the game into one of the best in the CFL this year. In fact it might have been the best week in the CFL this season with some great games being played. Hopefully that continues.

18) No surprise Weston Dressler won special teams player of the week in the CFL. Thought he could have won offensive player as well on the back of that 60 yard catch and run touchdown. I say that will be play of the year in the league. AMAZING!

19) Tino Sunseri looked really good in the second half of that game. He looked poised and comfortable and made good decisions. He reminds me a lot of Nick Foles of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. Calm and collected. I think the Riders are going to be fine with Tino pulling the trigger.

20) If I was an Ottawa RedBlacks fan I would be pretty disappointed in the reffing from Sundays game at Mosaic. Weston Dressler’s punt return TD probably should have been called back on a contacting the kicker penalty. Maybe the CFL should allow coaches to challenge all penalties, called or not called. I say that tongue and cheek of course but the stripes need to be better.

21) Drew Willy is listed as questionable for the Bombers this weekend as they get set to host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. If he’s not back I would have a hard time picking the Bombers to win. At least for their sake he’s had an extra week to heal. The East Division aren’t rolling over anymore and I might take Hamilton regardless if Willy does play.

That’s all I’ve got for today, have a great week.

Phil
@PhilTheThrill18