GAME PREVIEW: Pats host Kelowna Rockets on Teddy Bear Toss Night
Regina, Sask. – It’s holiday season and that means it’s time to make it rain bears!
WHL REGULAR SEASON GAME #30 | Regina Pats (10-16-2-1) vs. Kelowna Rockets (14-10-3-1)
| Date | Time | Saturday, December 13 | 6:00pm CST |
| Place | Brandt Centre |
| Watch / Listen Live | Victory+ | 620 CKRM |
| Live Stats | Click Here |
| Lineups | Click Here |
| Gameday Magazine | Click Here |
| Game Notes | Click Here |
| Roster | Click Here |
| What’s Next | Next Game: Wednesday, December 17 vs. Prince Albert |
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
Saturday’s game marks the 29th Teddy Bear Toss in Pats franchise history — a tradition that has produced some iconic moments. Last season, Jace Egland sent the stuffed animals flying just 2:25 into the first period against Moose Jaw. The first-ever Teddy Bear Toss goal was scored by Derek Morris on December 11, 1996 — also against the Warriors.
This will be the seventh time the Pats host Kelowna on Teddy Bear Toss Night. The last such meeting came in 2017 when Josh Mahura scored in a 7–5 setback. Regina owns a 12-12-1-3 all-time record in Teddy Bear Toss games and has won four of the last five.
Fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed toy, preferably in a clear plastic bag, and get ready to launch it onto the ice when the Pats score their first goal of the night.
GAME PREVIEW
The Regina Pats return to the Brandt Centre on Saturday for one of the most anticipated home games of the year, hosting the Kelowna Rockets for their lone meeting of the 2025–26 season. The matchup also marks the 29th annual Teddy Bear Toss Night, presented by Global Regina — a night where fans can make a difference the moment the Pats score their first goal.
Regina enters the contest riding high after a massive 4–0 shutout victory over the Saskatoon Blades on Sunday. Not only did the win snap a seven-game skid, it also marked the Pats’ first road win at SaskTel Centre since March 19, 2023, and their first shutout against Saskatoon in a decade.
This time, it was 19-year-old Matthew Hutchison delivering the milestone performance, turning aside 32 shots for his first WHL shutout. His strong weekend earned him WHL Goaltender of the Week honours — the first Pat to win the award since Roddy Ross in 2021.
Regina’s scoring attack was powered by Ruslan Karimov (1G–2A) and Julien Maze (1G–2A), while Matt Paranych (1G–1A) and Zach Lansard (1G) rounded out the scoring. Karimov recorded his second three-point game of the season and now has goals in back-to-back contests.
Maze continues to carry the offensive torch, posting eight points in his last six games (3G–5A). He now leads the Pats with 30 points this season. Maze and Paranych are now tied for the team lead with 17 assists.
The victory pushed the Pats to 10 wins on the season and brought them to 23 points, tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference with two games remaining before the Christmas break.
The Kelowna Rockets arrive in Regina looking nothing like the club that finished last in the Western Conference a season ago. After an 18-44-4-2 campaign that prompted a full reset, the Rockets have quickly turned the page, emerging as one of the early turnaround stories of the 2025-26 WHL season.
Now celebrating their 30th year, Kelowna has more than short-term success in mind. The Rockets are building toward hosting the 106th Memorial Cup in 2026 — their sixth appearance on the national stage — with hopes of recreating the championship magic they delivered as hosts back in 2004.
The Rockets enter tonight’s matchup with a 14-10-3-1 record, tied for sixth in the Western Conference, and continue a six-game Eastern Division road swing. Kelowna is 1-1 on the trip so far, opening with a 6-4 win in Swift Current on Wednesday before dropping a 6-3 decision in Brandon on Friday night.
Fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed toy, preferably in a clear plastic bag, and get ready to launch it onto the ice when the Pats score their first goal of the night.
COMING UP
The Regina Pats have one more game before the Christmas Break, and that features the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday at the Brandt Centre. The Club returns from the Christmas Holidays on Friday, December 27 when they take on the Saskatoon Blades at the SaskTel Centre. The Pats return home on December 28 and host the Blades for a 6pm puck drop.
