VIGR RECAP: PATS OFF TO EASTERN CONF FINAL

The Queen City Kids finished off the Swift Current Broncos with an emphatic 5-1 victory in Game 7 of their second round playoff series before 6484 in the Brandt Centre Monday night.

It was the Pats’ 20th sellout of the season, and the fans witnessed a remarkable comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.

And Regina wasn’t to be denied in this one. Sam Steel opened the scoring 2:19 into the game and teammate Filip Ahl made it 2-0 at the 4:57 mark. This was all before Swift Current had registered a shot on goal.

Steel buried again in the second period while Austin Wagner chipped in with his 9th of the postseason for a 4-0 advantage after 40 minutes.

KHP

The Broncos broke Tyler Brown’s shutout bid at 14:33 of the third – on the powerplay and with their goalie pulled – to make it 4-1 however just over a minute later Austin Wagner won a race to the puck and slammed home a shorthanded empty-netter with 4:24 to go.

Game over: Pats 5 Broncos 1

The Pats outshot the Broncos 43-24 while going 0/5 on the powerplay and 5/6 on the penalty kill.

“We took it in small pieces,” Sam Steel said postgame of battling back from being down 3-1 in games. “One period at a time. We did a great job and showed a lot of character.

“I’m proud of the guys.”

It was the first Game 7 the Pats have hosted in 45 years and the first-ever in the Brandt Centre/Agridome.

The Pats now await their opponent in Round 3. The other Eastern Semifinal is going to Game 7 Tuesday in Medicine Hat as the Tigers host the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

RP

@rodpedersen