Pats Drop Season Opener, 4-3, in Swift Current
WHL Regina Pats

Pats Drop Season Opener, 4-3, in Swift Current

Published on September 19, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release


Swift Current, Sask. - The Regina Pats dropped their season opener on Friday, falling 4-3 to the Swift Current Broncos at InnovationPlex.

Keets Fawcett gave the Pats an early lead late in the first period, striking on the power play at 17:06. The 18-year-old forward found open ice in the slot, pulled the puck onto his forehand, and fired a shot into the top corner to put Regina in front 1-0.

The Broncos responded with three straight goals in the second. Sawyer Dingman tied the game 1-1 at 9:21, finishing off a feed from Brock Burch. Swift Current then struck twice on the man advantage, as Stepan Kuryachenkov redirected a point shot past Pats goaltender Taylor Tabashniuk at 15:21 before former Pat Zach Pantelakis jammed home a rebound less than two minutes later to give the Broncos a 3-1 lead.

Regina pushed back before the end of the frame. Rookie Liam Pue netted his first WHL goal at 18:31, capitalizing after Cohen Klassen's broken play in the slot to cut the deficit to 3-2.

In the third, Swift Current restored its two-goal cushion when Noah Kosick buried a power-play marker from the slot at 13:41. The Pats, however, made things interesting late. With just over a minute remaining and shorthanded, Zach Moore set up Caden Brown with a slick backdoor feed, and Brown tucked the puck just inside the post to bring Regina within one. That was as close as the Pats would get, as Broncos goaltender Joey Rocha shut the door the rest of the way.

Rocha finished with 30 saves on 33 shots for Swift Current, while Tabashniuk stopped 25 of 29 shots in the Regina crease. The Broncos went 3-for-4 on the power play, while the Pats were 1-for-5.

Final shots on goal were 33-29 in favour of Regina. Matt Paranych and Ephram McNutt each led the way with two assists for the Blue Brigade.

FINAL: Regina Pats 1, Swift Current Broncos 0

THE GOALS

First Period

Pats 1-0 - #10 Keets Fawcett (1), assisted by #55 Ephram McNutt & #44 Matt Paranych at 17:06 (PP)

Fawcett was left open in the slot on the power play, curled and dragged before ripping the puck top corner to open the scoring.

Second Period

Broncos 1-1 - #32 Sawyer Dingman (1), assisted by #27 Brock Burch & #25 Brennan Brown at 9:21

Burch centered the puck from behind the net, and Dingman fired it past Tabashniuk to tie the game.

Broncos 2-1 - #33 Stepan Kuryachenkov (1), assisted by #5 Josh McGregor & #13 Noah Kosick at 15:21 (PP)

McGregor was left open in the high slot, and his shot was redirected through Tabashniuk by Kuryachenkov.

Broncos 3-1 - #34 Zach Pantelakis (1), assisted by #19 Trae Wilke & #38 Marek Ročák at 16:49 (PP)

Pantelakis jammed home a rebound to extend the Broncos' lead.

Pats 3-2 - #13 Liam Pue (1), assisted by #37 Cohen Klassen & #55 Ephram McNutt at 18:31

Klassen cut into the slot and fanned on his shot, but the puck bounced onto Pue's stick, and he ripped it home for his first WHL goal.

Third Period

Broncos 4-2 - #13 Noah Kosick (1), assisted by #5 Josh McGregor at 13:41 (PP)

Regina's clearing attempt was knocked down in the slot, and Kosick quickly fired it top corner.

Pats 4-3 - #27 Caden Brown (1), assisted by #18 Zach Moore & #44 Matt Paranych at 18:54 (SH)

Moore made a slick play at the side of the net and sent a backdoor pass to Brown, who fired it just inside the post to pull Regina within one.

Shots on Goal

Pats: 14 - 13 - 6 - 33 Broncos: 8 - 13 - 8 - 29

Power Plays

Pats: 1/5 Broncos: 3/4

Goaltending

Pats: Taylor Tabashniuk - 25 saves on 29 shots Broncos: Joey Rocha - 30 saves on 33 shots

COMING UP

The Pats continue their opening weekend tomorrow in Medicine Hat against the Tigers before returning home for their 2025-26 home opener on Friday, September 26 against the Prince Albert Raiders.

Details for the home opener and home opener tailgate party are available HERE! Tickets for the game are available by stopping by the Brandt Centre Box Office or at reginapats.com/tickets. For Group, Premium, and Season Ticket inquiries, please reach out to the Regina Pats Business Office at 306-527-9963.

Check out the Regina Pats Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Western Hockey League Stories from September 19, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central