WHL Regina Pats

Pats Score Late to Beat Wheat Kings 4-3

February 24, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release


Brandon, Man. - Drew Sim made 44 saves, leading the Regina Pats to a 4-3 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday at Westoba Place.

Connor Bedard scored the game-winner with under two minutes to play in regulation, as the Pats picked up their 28th win of the season, which jumps them to four points ahead of Calgary and Medicine Hat. Regina is sitting in sixth with 59 points, and have now won three straight games.

Matteo Michels, Alexander Suzdalev (1G-1A) Stanislav Svozil also scored for the Pats in the win. Regina overcame a 2-1 deficit in the second period and beat the Wheat Kings after they tied it in the third.

Nate Danielson (1G-1A), Nolan Ritchie and Matthew Henry scored for the Wheat Kings in the loss while Carson Bjarnason made 15 saves in the loss. The season is now tied up at 2-2 with the rematch set for Saturday at the Brandt Centre as the Pats conclude their home-and-home.

THE GOALS

First Period

REG 1-0 at 17:52 - Alexander Suzdalev (31), assisted by Steel Quiring and Tanner Brown // After an extended shift by the Pats' fourth line, Suzdalev came in fresh on a line change, got the puck and looked to run out of room but put it toward the Wheat Kings net and it went in off a Wheat Kings defender to give the Pats a 1-0 lead.

BDN 1-1 at 19:50 - Nolan Ritchie (21), assisted by Nate Danielson // Late in the first period, Danielson carried the puck into the Pats zone and found Ritchie going hard to the front of the net and he deflected it in tie the game up a 1-1 late in the first.

Second Period

BDN 1-2 at 7:23 - Matthew Henry (2), assisted by Roger McQueen and Anthony Wilson // McQueen's shot is stopped by Sim but the rebound went right to Henry who made no mistake and buried it to give the Wheat Kings a 2-1 lead.

REG 2-2 at 12:16 - Matteo Michels (2), unassisted // Michels carried the puck into the Wheat Kings zone and threw the puck at Bjarnason's feet and the puck snuck through as Michels second of the season tied the game up at 2-2.

REG 3-2 at 14:06 - Stanislav Svozil (8), assisted by Alexander Suzdalev and Sam Oremba // Oremba's shot was stopped, Suzdalev attempted the "Michigan" but was foiled and picked up the loose puck and sent it to Svozil who fired a one-timer past Bjarnason to give the Pats a 3-2 lead.

Third Period

BDN 3-3 at 8:17 - Nate Danielson (27), assisted by Zakhar Polshakov and Dawson Pasternak // Danielson picked up the puck just inside the Pats blueline, dangled and toe-dragged around a pair of Pats, and fired the puck past Sim to tie the game at 3-3.

REG 4-3 at 18:05 - Connor Bedard (53), assisted by Parker Berge // Berge danced around near the Wheat Kings blueline and sent a wrist shot toward the net, and Bedard with a player all over him got a piece of it and tipped it past Bjarnason to give the Pats a 4-3 lead late in the final frame.

STATISTICS

SOG: REG - 8-8-3-19 | BDN 14-13-20-47

PP: REG - 0/1 | BDN - 0/3

Face-Offs: REG - 28 | BDN - 26

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Regina: Drew Sim (47 shots/44 saves)

Brandon: Carson Bjarnason (19 shots/15 saves)

3 STARS

First: Sim (44 saves on 47 shots) - Pats

Second: Danielson (1G-1A, 7 shots) - Wheat Kings

Third: Suzdalev (1G-1A, +2, 2 shots) - Pats

NOTES

Connor Bedard scored once to reach 111 points on the season (53G-58A). He is the first Pat to have back-to-back 50-goal seasons since Mike Sillinger had 50 in three-straight seasons (1988-89, 1989-90, and 1990-91). He also has 100 points in back-to-back seasons. He leads the WHL in goals (52), assists (58), points (110), and shots on goal (284). He has 26 goals, 21 assists, and 47 points in 15 games since returning from the World Juniors. He has 21 points (9G-12A) in six games since his 35-game point streak was broken on February 3.

Stanislav Svozil scored his eighth of the season and third in his last four games. He now has 24 points (3G-21A) in 15 games since returning from the World Juniors.

Alexander Suzdalev scored to end a three-game skid and added an assist. He has 24 points (11G-13A) in his last 16 games.

Matteo Michels scored for the second time this season (and in his career) and has three points (1G-2A) in his last four games.

Steel Quiring picked up his first point, an assist, since his first game with the Pats back on January 13 (spanning 13 games).

Drew Sim had his fifth game with 40+ saves this season while collecting his 24th win of the campaign, the 44 saves tied his second-most saves in a game for him this season.

There were only four powerplays in the game with the Pats getting one and the Wheat Kings had three, neither team was able to score with the man advantage.

UP NEXT

The Pats return home on Saturday night, February 25th to conclude the home-and-home against the Wheat Kings with a 7:00 pm puck drop at the Brandt Centre.

Check out the Regina Pats Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2023


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