PREVIEW: Howe returns to Brandt Centre as Pats host Hitmen
Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats return home and take on former captain Tanner Howe and the Calgary Hitmen at the Brandt Centre.
WHL REGULAR SEASON GAME #55 | Regina Pats (14-33-4-2, 10th East) at Calgary Hitmen (34-15-3-2, 3rd)
| Date | Time | Wednesday, February 19 | 7:00pm CST |
| Place | Brandt Centre |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| Watch / Listen Live | WHL Live | 620 CKRM |
| Live Stats | Click Here |
| Game Notes | Click Here |
| Lineups | Click Here |
| Roster | Click Here |
| What’s Next | Next Game: Friday, February 21 at Swift Current (7pm CST) |
| Social Media | Follow on “X” | Facebook | Instagram |
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Tonight’s contest marks our final Wiener Wednesday of the season with half priced Hotdogs up until puck drop. It’s also our sixth and final stadium cup series giveaway as the first 500 fans into the Brandt Centre will receive a limited edition Pats cup!
Tonight’s contest is also presented by Bush’s Beans! In the second intermission, two lucky contestants will be chosen to take part in a relay race! Then at the final media timeout of the third period, we will be handing out Bush Beans koozies for fans!
PREVIEW
Tonight marks the return of former Pats captain Tanner Howe, as the Hitmen visit the Brandt Centre for the first time since October 25. This also marks the fourth and final meeting between the Pats and Hitmen. Calgary leads the season series 3-0 with their last matchup on January 19 (L, 4-1).
Howe comes back to familiar territory for the first time since being dealt to the Hitmen in exchange for Reese Hamilton, Keets Fawcett and a pair of draft picks on November 21. Howe debuted with the Pats as a 15-year-old during the 2020-21 season, and amassed 240 points (98G-142A) in 217 games, which ranks T-50th in goals, T-33rd in assists and 40th in points in franchise history.
For the Pats, they return home following a tough four game stretch through Alberta, finishing their road trip with a 1-0 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday. Huet was the story, holding one of the WHL’s top teams to just one goal on 38 shots. Regina’s power play finished 0-1 while their penalty kill was 2-2. The final shots were 38-22 for the Tigers.
The Queen City Kids will look to break their five game skid (0-4-1) with some home cooking as they will play nine of their final 14 games of the season on home ice.
Despite the results not going the way the team would like, the Pats have mustered a handful of hard fought performances. Prior to finishing the road trip with with a 1-0 loss, the Pats dropped a tight 6-5 overtime loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday, a team that is built to win a WHL Championship.
Meanwhile, the Calgary Hitmen are coming off a 5-2 win over the Swift Current Broncos on Monday, winning the first game of their six game Eastern Division road trip. The Hitmen got goals from Connor Hvidston, Oliver Tulk, Brandon Gorzynski, Ethan Merner and Ethan Moore while Daniel Hauser made 20 saves. The final shots were 34-22 for Calgary. The Hitmen were 0-5 on their power play and 3-3 on their penalty kill.
WHO TO WATCH
For the Pats, Jace Egland and Keets Fawcett have been the two hottest players as of late. Egland has three points (1G-2A) in his last three games while Fawcett had his three game goal-streak end last game, and has four points (3G-1A) over his last four contests.
The Pats will also inject some more youth into their lineup as 15-year-old forward Mathis Paull will draw in for the first time in his WHL career.
Meanwhile, Tanner Howe has 21 points (7G-14A) in 23 games with the Hitmen, as well as a plus-minus rating of +24. In addition, Oliver Tulk ranks fourth in WHL scoring with 86 points (33G-53A) in 54 games.
COMING UP
The Pats are back in action on Friday when they travel west to Swift Current and take on the Broncos at 7pm. The Pats will then host the Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday at 6pm.
