Pats Fall to Broncos
March 23, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release
Swift Current, Sask. - The Regina Pats tied the game on three separate occasions on Tuesday night, but couldn't muster a fourth equalizer, losing 5-3 to the Swift Current Broncos at the Innovation Credit Union i-plex.
The Pats were deadlocked in a 3-3 tie late in the third period, until Raphael Pelletier scored his second of the night after a fortunate ricochet off the end boards landed right to him at the side of the goal. Swift Current added an empty-net goal with 10 seconds to go to seal the deal.
Regina out-shot the home side 36-19 overall in the contest.
Connor Bedard extended his WHL-leading point streak to 21 games, registering two goals and an assist. That brings his goal output this season to a staggering 43 in just 51 games, and his point total to an equally impressive 83. His 43 goals rank second and his 83 points rank fourth league-wide. One goal on Tuesday came on the power play, while the other came on a penalty shot in the third period.
The Pats other 16-year-old star hit the scoresheet again as well, with Tanner Howe potting home a rebound in the second period for his 25th goal of the season.
Cole Dubinsky also kept his hot play going, dishing out a pair of assists, giving him 41 points on the season in just 50 games. He is now riding a six-game point streak (5G-6A) and has 21 points in his last 18 games (8G-13A).
Regina's power play went a perfect 2-for-2, while their penalty kill went 1-for-2.
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The Pats now sit in 10th in the Eastern Conference standings with 51 points, four back of the 8th-place Broncos. Prince Albert is in 9th with 53 points, but the Pats have a game in hand and still play P.A. twice more this season.
THE GOALS
1st Period
SC 1-0 at 2:24- Raphael Pelletier (16), assisted by Kayden Sadhra-Kang and Rayan Bettahar // Pelletier took a low shot from the middle point that beat Kieper through a maze of players in front.
REG 1-1 at 4:19 - Connor Bedard (42), assisted by Ryker Evans (42) and Cole Dubinsky (22) (PPG) // Evans dished to Bedard at the top of the left circle on the man advantage, and he fired one short side that beat Poulter, extending his point streak to a WHL-best 21 games.
SC 2-1 at 14:48 - Sam McGinley (7), assisted by Mathew Ward and Connor Hvidston (PPG) // McGinley's shot from the top of the umbrella on the power play beat Kieper on the blocker side.
2nd Period
REG 2-2 at 3:01 - Tanner Howe (25), assisted by Cole Dubinsky (23) and Connor Bedard (40) (PPG) // Dubinsky left a shot go from the top of the left circle on the power play, and Howe was there to put home the garbage for his 25th tally of the season.
SC 3-2 at 7:43 - Karson King (7), assisted by Josh Davies// King let a wrist shot go from the top of the right circle that beat Sim cleanly past the blocker to put the Broncos back out in front.
3rd Period
REG 3-3 at 6:44 - Connor Bedard (43), unassisted (Penalty Shot) // The Pats were awarded a penalty shot after Broncos defenceman Sam McGinley covered the puck in the crease with his glove. The Pats could choose from any of the five skaters they had on the ice at the time of the infraction, and not surprisingly, they went with Bedard, who beat Poulter cleanly on the glove side with a wrist shot.
SC 4-3 at 17:02 - Raphael Pelletier (17), assisted by Mathew Ward and Cole Nagy // With under three minutes to go in the third period, Broncos forward Matthew Ward entered off the rush and dropped a pass for Nagy, whose low shot missed the net on the short side, but fortunately bounced off the end boards right to Pelletier at the side of the goal, who banged it home.
SC 5-3 at 19:50 - Carter Stebbings (8), assisted by Cole Nagy (ENG) // Stebbings put the icing on the cake with the empty-netter.
FINAL: Pats 3 | Broncos 5
STATISTICS
SOG: REG - 36 | SC - 19
PP: REG - 2/2 | SC - 1/2
Face-Offs: REG - 35 | SC - 32
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Matthew Kieper was pulled after allowing two goals on four shots in the opening 20 minutes. Drew Sim stopped 12 of the 14 shots he faced.
Swift Current: Isaac Poulter was the game's third star, thanks to a 33 saves performance, which included stopping 10 of 11 shots he faced in the third period.
THEY SAID IT
Pats Assistant Coach Brad Herauf: "I thought our team battled really hard. I thought that we really responded after the first period. I thought our team played really well in the first. I think it was kind of just the same thing that happened in Moose Jaw with our goalies: just three bad goals that never should go in in this league. But our team never got down on that point and we kept on battling...We liked our game the way we played tonight. We battled hard. We didn't score on a couple of our opportunities, but we never gave up when we had some punches in the gut there for the goals against...I didn't like what we gave up there in third period. Just didn't think it was appropriate for a one-goal game [and then] a tied hockey game. But for the most part, our team defence did really well. D-zone was really good, we kept everything to the outside. Going into the third period, they had 11 shots. When you give up three goals on 11 shots, that's something we can't blame our players for."
3 STARS
Raphael Pelletier - SC: 2G, incl. GWG, 4 SOG
Connor Bedard - REG: 2G, 1A, 4 SOG
Isaac Poulter- SC: 33/36
UP NEXT
The Pats next game is in Saskatoon on Friday, March 25.
Their next home game is Saturday, March 26 against the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2022
- Warriors Hoping to Build off Saturday's Lopsided Win - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Mason Beaupit Among 15 WHL Players to Skate in Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game Wednesday - Spokane Chiefs
- Royals Defeat Rockets 4-2 in Wire-To-Wire Battle - Victoria Royals
- Raiders Pick Up Point in Overtime Loss to Winnipeg - Prince Albert Raiders
- Pats Fall to Broncos - Regina Pats
- Finley Lifts ICE in OT - Winnipeg Ice
- Rockets Drop Opener of Set with Victoria - Kelowna Rockets
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