Pats and Broncos meet for first time this season in WHL on Access action
Courtesy: Western Hockey League
Regina Pats (0-4-0-0) at Swift Current Broncos (0-4-0-0)
Friday, October 5 – Innovation Credit Union i-PLex 7:00 p.m. (Mountain)
Channels: Access7 SD, Access 70 HD, WHL Live
Regardless of the talent available on each side of the Trans-Canada rivalry, there’s no denying that when the Regina Pats, Moose Jaw Warriors, or Swift Current Broncos meet each other in Western Hockey League action, the two teams involved rise to the occasion.
The second of these meetings this season will take place in Swift Current, Sask. under the bright lights of WHL on Access action when the Broncos and Pats clash Friday night.
Off-season departures on both sides, including those of captain Glenn Gawdin and Sam Steel and new head coaches most notably, have ushered in new eras for each club. With the rise of other squads, both the Pats and Broncos have experienced tough results to begin the 2018-19 WHL Regular Season and there’s hope with both that it’ll turn around Friday night.
Case in point, last Sunday’s meeting between the Pats and Warriors at the Brandt Centre featured three goals and 62 saves on 65 shots by the two goaltenders combined, meaning fans could be in for a solid treat in tonight’s game. The result, a tight 2-1 loss for the Pats in a game they could have easily ended up on the other side of.
In terms of retaining talent, the Pats have done well, keeping the likes of both newly-named captain Jake Leschyshyn (Vegas Golden Knights) and Nick Henry (Colorado Avalanche).
Thrust into the starter’s role this year, Max Paddock has been still getting his bearings straight in the league, especially with a much different team in front of him this season. There’s no denying though that he’ll have his mind on securing his first victory of the season Friday.
A bright spot for the Pats as they begin their second century of play as a junior hockey franchise has been Aaron Hyman. While many of the team’s acquisitions departed the team after the end of last season, Hyman has remained, tasked to guide the team’s backend as a 20-year-old. The Calgary, Alta. product has delivered so far, providing four points (2G-2A) to tie for the Pats lead in scoring, sit tied for third in goals among WHL defencemen and tied 11th overall in scoring for WHL defencemen.
The same can be said for the Broncos, who have scored three goals this season and will be looking to reignite their offence against a team they didn’t lose to in regulation — they did lose once in overtime on March 16, 2018 — to all of last season, averaging 3.50 goals per game against. But to be shutout twice this early in the season has to have the Broncos looking at ways to alter their offence and deliver some support for their goaltender.
The two early blankings put the Broncos in unchartered territory following their recent successes. Besides the two early-season shutout defeats, the last two times the Broncos were shutout came during the 2016-17 WHL Regular Season, with both games coming against the Pats.
Home-ice advantage hasn’t exactly been kind to the Broncos either, one more trend they’ll look to alter tonight. In the past 10 WHL regular season games at the Innovation Credit Union i-PLex, the Regina Pats have a 6-3-1-0 record while the Broncos are a mild 4-5-0-1.
Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues) was the backup last season and, like Paddock, assumed the starting role during the off-season. Now he’ll be looking to forge his own path with a different team in front of him.
It’s also not easy to forget the last two playoff meetings between the teams, with a series victory in seven games for the Pats in 2017 and a win of similar length for the Broncos in 2018.
Tune into WHL on Access action Friday night to watch the Pats and Broncos renew their rivalries.
GAME DAY PREVIEW: Pats back in action Friday in Swift Current!
Details: https://t.co/BCsLqgrr1H#JoinTheRegiment pic.twitter.com/w4vIsNlIgG
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) October 5, 2018
Regina Pats
Record: 0-4-0-0 – Fifth in East Division
Head coach: Dave Struch
Leading scorers: D Aaron Hyman (2-2—4), C Jake Leschyshyn (1-3—4), LW Sergei Alkhimov (1-2—3), RW Nick Henry (0-3—3)
Leading goaltender: Max Paddock (4 GP, 0-4-0-0, 5.25 GAA, .865 SV%)
Power play: 14th – 17.6%
Penalty kill: 21st – 63.6%
Injuries/unavailable: D Brady Pouteau (upper body, four weeks)
#SCB coach Dean Brockman talks to Bronco TV's @ryan_switzer about the team's performance over their first four games, tonight's match-up with @WHLPats and the status of Artyom Minulin. FULL Nutrien Ag Solutions Breakfast with Brockman chat here: https://t.co/V3ZLJdQbzX pic.twitter.com/nwLtVOJ1t1
— Swift Current Broncos (@SCBroncos) October 5, 2018
Swift Current Broncos
Record: 0-4-0-0 – Sixth in East Division
Head coach: Dean Brockman
Leading scorers: RW Max Patterson (0-2—2), LW Alec Zawatsky (0-2—2), C Matthew Culling (1-0—1), D Connor Horning (1-0—1)
Leading goaltender: Joel Hofer (3 GP, 0-3-0-0, 5.05 GAA, .877 SV%)
Power play: 19th – 8.3%
Penalty kill: 19th – 65.0%
Injuries/Unavailable: D Noah King (upper body, day-to-day)
Season Series
Oct. 5 – Regina at Swift Current*
Oct. 28 – Swift Current at Regina
Nov. 10 – Swift Current at Regina
Dec. 12 – Regina at Swift Current*
Jan. 5 – Regina at Swift Current*
March 13 – Swift Current at Regina*
* Indicates WHL on Access broadcast
