PREVIEW: Pats hit the road to take on the Saskatoon Blades
The Regina Pats (32-24-5-1) play the second of eight straight road games on Friday night against the Saskatoon Blades (31-27-2-1). Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre. The Pats were in Prince Albert on Monday, beating the Raiders 3-1 for a third straight victory. The Blades are coming off a 3-2 overtime win in Edmonton on Monday and have won two in a row. Tonight is the eighth and final meeting on the season between the Pats and Blades, Regina holds a 2-2-2-1 record in the season series. The game can be heard starting at 6:35 with Bennett Dunlop Ford Pats Hockey on 620 CKRM.
| Regular Season Comparison | Regina | Saskatoon | |
| Record | 32-24-5-1 | 31-27-2-1 | |
| Goals For/Against | 205/207 (-2) | 199/229 (-30) | |
| Powerplay | 22.7% (59/260) | 20.0% (46/230) | |
| Penalty Kill | 74.8% (2025/274) | 77.6% (198/255) | |
| Team Save Percentage | 0.895 | 0.882 | |
| Leading Scorer | Cameron Hebig (39-39-78) | Braylon Shmyr (32-46-78) | |
| Leading Scorer (Defence) | Josh Mahura (21-40-61) | Dawson Davidson (9-27-36) | |
| Scoring by Period (1st-2nd-3rd-OT) | 60-69-72-4 | 66-49-77-5 |
The Lead Up: Pats conclude busy stretch with win in Prince Albert
Max Paddock made 37 saves to lead the Pats to a 3-1 win in Prince Albert on Monday afternoon. Regina scored the first goal of the contest at 7:23 when Nick Henry snapped a shot from the blueline that redirected off a defenceman and in for his 11th. Jared Legien extended the lead when he batted in a rebound for his 20th and it was 2-0 after the first. The Raiders got one back in the second when Brett Leason ripped a shot inside the post from the right circle and it was 2-1 Regina after 40 minutes. In the third, the Raiders pressed for a tying goal but Max Paddock stopped all 14 shots he faced and Matt Bradley scored his 35th into an empty net with 34 seconds left to give the Pats the 3-1 victory. Bradley led the offence with a goal and an assist as the Pats picked up a third straight win.
Head to Head
Tonight is the eighth and final meeting between the Pats and Blades, Regina is 2-2-2-1 in the season series. The Pats are led by Sam Steel who has three goals and 10 points in five games against Saskatoon. Matt Bradley is next with nine points while Josh Mahura has seven. The Blades’ Braylon Shmyr has 13 points against Regina while Josh Paterson, Brad Goethals and Kirby Dach have five points. Regina is currently five points ahead for third in the East Division.
Max Paddock Rolling
Pats 17-year-old goaltender Max Paddock started his sixth straight game on Monday night, replacing the injured Ryan Kubic. The Brandon product went 4-1-0-1 in those six starts in 10 days, stopping 174 of 188 shots for a .926 save percentage and a 2.30 goals against average. Overall, he holds the eighth best G.A.A. in the WHL at 3.02.
The Big Four
Forwards Sam Steel and Matt Bradley and defencemen Josh Mahura and Cale Fleury are coming off big offensive weeks for the Pats. The club played seven games in 11 days and Steel put up 10 points in that stretch. Matt Bradley was next with nine points in seven games while Josh Mahura and Cale Fleury each put up seven points. The four players combined for 37 points, leading the Pats to a 4-2-0-1 record.
Upcoming Schedule
Pats @ Moose Jaw – Saturday February 24, 7 p.m. – Mosaic Place (CKRM)
Pats @ Calgary – Saturday March 3, 8 p.m. – Scotiabank Saddledome (CKRM)
Pats @ Edmonton – Sunday March 4, 5 p.m. – Rogers Place (CKRM)
