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WHL Regina Pats

Whitehead the Hero in 7-6 Overtime Win

September 22, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release


Brandon, Man. - The Regina Pats started off their 2023-24 season with a bang. The Regiment picked up a 7-6 come-from-behind overtime win over the Brandon Wheat Kings at Westoba Place on Friday.

The Pats overcame a 3-0 deficit early in the game, and grabbed an opening night victory for the second time over their last three seasons. Braxton Whitehead scored his first career overtime goal, while Matteo Michels lit the lamp twice and Parker Berge and Layton Feist found the back of the net.

But one of the biggest highlights came late in the third period where Cole Temple picked up the tying goal for his first WHL goal, doing so in his hometown of Brandon, MB. Ewan Huet recorded his first career WHL win, making 18 saves.

The Pats outshot the Wheat Kings 35-14 in the final 50 minutes of the game and 37-24 overall. The Pats finished 2-4 on their power play and 2-4 on their penalty kill.

FINAL: Pats 7, Wheat Kings 6 (OT)

THE GOALS

First Period

1-0 Brandon at 5:19 - Caleb Hadland (1), assisted by Roger McQueen & Andrei Maliavin (PP) // McQueen's point shot was saved by Huet but the puck bounced up in the air and Hadland was there to bat it past the Pats goaltender to give the Wheat Kings a 1-0 lead on the power play.

2-0 Brandon at 7:23 - Rylen Roersma (1), assisted by Roger McQueen // McQueen's shot from the slot was kicked out by Huet but the rebound deflected off a Pats' defender and right to Roersma who buried it past the Pats netminder to give the Wheat Kings a 2-0 lead.

3-0 Brandon at 10:05 - Roger McQueen (1), assisted by Dominik Petr // Huet left the puck behind the Pats' net but Petr grabbed the puck behind the net and fed it to McQueen who put it past the Pats goaltender to extend the Wheat Kings lead to 3-0 midway through the first period.

3-1 Regina at 15:57 - Matteo Michels (1), assisted by Parker Berge // As Michels was falling to the ice, he was able to connect on a pass from Berge and he fired a one-timer past Jones to get the Pats on the board now trailing 3-1.

3-2 Regina at 18:11 - Parker Berge (1), assisted by Borya Valis & Tanner Howe // Howe cleanly won the offensive zone draw to Valis who sent a nice pass to Berge who one-timed it past Jones to get the Pats within one at 3-2.

Second Period

3-3 Regina at 8:01 - Matteo Michels (2), unassisted (SH) // Michels forced the defenceman back into the defensive zone and he was able to steal the puck from the defender and he roofed a nice shot past Jones to tie the game up at 3-3.

4-3 Brandon at 12:07 - Dominik Petr (1), assisted by Andrei Maliavin & Rylen Roersma (PP) // Petr's wrist shot from the top of the circle beat Huet upstairs to restore the Wheat Kings' lead at 4-3.

4-4 Regina at 15:10 - Layton Feist (1), unassisted // As a Pats power play was coming to a conclusion, Feist danced his way end to end and scored a beauty backhander past Jones to tie the game up at 4-4.

5-4 Regina at 19:49 - Tye Spencer (1), assisted by Braxton Whitehead & Cole Temple (PP) // The Pats worked the puck around the offensive zone where Whitehead got the puck on the right side and fed a nice pass to Spencer who ripped home the one-timer to give the Pats the first lead of the game and of the season at 5-4.

Third Period

5-5 Brandon at 1:54 - Luke Shipley (1), assisted by Anthony Wilson // Off an offensive faceoff win, Shipley's long-distance floater beat Huet high to the blocker side to get the Wheat Kings even at 5-5.

6-5 Brandon at 3:36 - Hayden Wheddon (1), assisted by Kayden Sadhra-Kang & Charlie Elick // Wheddon's shot was initially stopped by Huet but the puck trickled through the Pats netminder and in to give the Wheat Kings a 6-5 lead early in the third period.

6-6 Regina at 9:54 - Cole Temple (1), assisted by Sam Oremba & Layton Feist (PP) // Oremba's shot from the far right boards was stopped by Jones but Temple is "Johnny-on-the-spot" and buried his first career WHL goal to pull the game even at 6-6.

Overtime

7-6 Regina at 52 seconds - Braxton Whitehead (1), assisted by Tanner Howe // The Pats worked the puck around the offensive zone and it eventually got to Howe who teed one up for Whitehead who buried the puck past Jones to give the Pats a 7-6 overtime victory.

SOG: Regina - 9-17-10-1-37 | Brandon - 11-10-3-0-24

PP: Regina - 2/4 | Brandon - 2/4

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Regina: Ewan Huet (18 saves / 24 shots)

Brandon: Nicholas Jones (30 saves / 37 shots)

Three Stars

First: Matteo Michels - Regina (2G)

Second: Roger McQueen - Brandon (1G-2A)

Third: Braxton Whitehead - Regina (1G-1A, OT Winner)

UP NEXT

The Pats kick off the home portion of the 2023-24 season when they host the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday, September 23. Join the Pats Home Opener Tailgate Party from 4-6 pm at the International Trade Centre.

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Western Hockey League Stories from September 22, 2023


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