NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Regina Pats

Pats Tie It in Dying Minute of Third, Edge Hitmen 6-5 in a Shootout

February 2, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Braxton Whitehead tied the game in the third with 33 seconds to play to force extra-time and the Regina Pats won in a shootout, defeating the Calgary Hitmen 6-5 before 17,223 spectators at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

Tonight's contest had several different lead changes, with the Pats tying the game four different times while also overcoming a two goal deficit. In the shootout, Drew Sim stopped all three shooters that he faced and Connor Bedard scored the Pats shootout winner.

Whitehead tallied his first career two goal game with both of them being tying goals in the third. Alexander Suzdalev (1G-1A), Bedard (1G-1A) and Tanner Brown rounded out the scoring for the Pats. Sam Oremba chipped in with two assists and Drew Sim made 43 saves for his 19th victory of the season, while improving to 4-0-1 lifetime against the Hitmen. The Pats also snapped their two game losing-streak.

For the Hitmen, they got goals from Blake Heward, Sean Tschigerl, Carter Yakemchuk, London Hoilett and Tomas Marinkovic. Calgary dropped their third straight contest in extra-time and their fourth in a row overall. Brayden Peters made 32 saves in the loss.

THE GOALS

First Period

CGY 0-1 at 13:01 - Blake Heward (2), assisted by Tyson Galloway and Matteo Danis // The Hitmen worked the puck around the Pats zone and Galloway's long-distance shot was tipped past Sim to give the Hitmen a 1-0 lead.

REG 1-1 at 13:57 - Connor Bedard (44), unassisted // Bedard's original shot from the right boards was blocked by a defender, but he grabbed the loose puck and from a bad angle, he fired a wrist shot that beat Peters to tie the game at 1-1 just 56 seconds after the Hitmen opened the scoring.

CGY 1-2 at 17:02 - Carter Yakemchuk (7), assisted by Oliver Tulk and Sean Tschigerl (PP) // After the Pats had a chance while shorthanded the Hitmen took it the other way, and after a mad scramble around Sim, Yakemchuk was able to put it past the down and out netminder to restore the Hitmen one-goal lead at 2-1.

Second Period

CGY 1-3 at 12:45 - Tomis Marinkovic (4), assisted by Maxim Muranov and Vojtech Husinecky // The Hitmen worked the puck deep into the Pats zone and Marinkovic directed the puck on Sim and it looked like he appeared to cover it. They reviewed the play and after a lengthy review, it was determined that Sim lost control of the puck, and that it snuck over the line and was called a good goal to give the Hitmen a two-goal lead at 3-1.

Third Period

REG 2-3 at 1:07 - Tanner Brown (4), assisted by Tanner Howe // Shortly after a Pats powerplay expired, Brown was by the right boards and he threw the puck from the edge of the circle that somehow got past three Hitmen players and past Peters to get the Pats to within one at 3-2 early in the final stanza.

REG 3-3 at 7:37 - Alexander Suzdalev (26), assisted by Sam Oremba and Parker Berge // Oremba and Suzdalev exchanged passes along the right wing until Suzdalev got the puck near the slot and shoveled a backhander that eluded Peters to tie the game at 3-3.

CGY 3-4 at 9:17 - Sean Tschigerl (16), assisted by Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Brandon Whynott // Fiddler-Schultz's shot is kicked out by Sim, unfortunately right to Tschigerl who buried the puck to restore the Hitmen lead at 4-3.

REG 4-4 at 10:21 - Braxton Whitehead (6), assisted by Alexander Suzdalev and Stanislav Svozil // The Pats responded quickly as they entered the Hitmen zone with a nice entry and the puck ended up on Whitehead's stick where his wrist shot beat a screened Peters to again tie the contest up, this time at 4-4.

CGY 4-5 at 12:00 - London Hoillet (10), unassisted // Hoillett got the puck at the Hitmen blueline andraced in on an odd-man rush. He decided to shoot and beat Sim to once again give the Hitmen the lead at 5-4.

REG 5-5 at 19:26 - Braxton Whitehead (7), assisted by Sam Oremba and Connor Bedard // With Sim on the bench for an extra attacker, there was a mad scramble around Peters, and Whitehead was the last to touch the puck as he tied the game up at 5-5 with less than a minute left in the contest to send it to overtime.

Overtime

No scoring.

Shootout

Tulk (CGY) - stopped.

Suzdalev (REG) - missed.

Tschigerl (CGY) - missed.

Bedard (REG) - SCORED!

Fiddler-Schultz (CGY) - Stopped!

PATS WIN!

STATISTICS

SOG: REG - 9-16-10-2-37 | CGY 20-19-9-1-49

PP: REG - 0/6 | CGY - 1/3

Face-Offs: REG - 33 | CGY - 45

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Regina: Drew Sim (49 shots/44 saves, 3/3 in the shootout)

Calgary: Brayden Peters (37 shots/32 saves, 2/3 in the shootout)

3 STARS

First: Suzdalev (1G-2A, +3, 6 shots) - Pats

Second: Tschigerl (1G-1A, 11 shots) - Hitmen

Third: Whitehead (2G, 4 shots) - Pats

NOTES

Connor Bedard extended his point-streak to 35 games with a goal and an assist. He has 68 points in his last 24 games. He leads the WHL in goals (44), assists (46), points (90), and shots on goal (238). He has 17 goals, nine assists, and 26 points in eight games since coming back from the World Juniors. He's also scored 22 times during his career-high 11-game goal-scoring streak.

Braxton Whitehead had his first career two-goal game.

Stanislav Svozil notched an assist and is now up to 12 points (12A) in his seven games since returning from the World Juniors.

Tanner Brown ended a 10-game goalless drought with his fourth goal of the season early in the third period.

Alexander Suzdalev had two points (1G-1A) to extend his point-streak to eight games (5G-10A-15PTS).

Drew Sim faced a career-tying 49 shots in the game as he picked up his 19th win of the season.

Tanner Howe followed up a career performance (four assists) with an assist to give him points in back-to-back games.

Sam Oremba picked up two assists and now has points in back-to-back games (1G-2A).

The Pats moved to 10-5-2-1 against the Central Division this season.

UP NEXT

The Pats continue their four-game Alberta swing as they travel to Lethbridge to play the Hurricanes on Friday, February 3rd at 8:00 pm at the Enmax Centre. They conclude the four-game trip with a stop in Medicine Hat to play the Tigers on Sunday, February 5th with a 5:00 pm face-off at Co-Op Place. Games are listed in Saskatchewan time.

Check out the Regina Pats Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League message board...

Western Hockey League Stories from February 2, 2023


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