PREVIEW: Pats Look to Even Series with Hurricanes in Game 4

The Regina Pats (9-5) play game four of the Eastern Conference Championship Series tonight against the Lethbridge Hurricanes (10-7). Puck drop at the Enmax Centre is at 7 p.m. The Pats dropped game three on Tuesday night 3-1 and trail the best-of-seven series two games to one. The game can be heard on 620 CKRM with Bennett Dunlop Ford Pats Hockey beginning at 6:35 p.m. It will also be broadcast on the WHL on Shaw and Access 7.

Lead Up: Pats Drop Game 3 Tuesday in Lethbridge
The Regina Pats fell 3-1 in game three against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Tuesday night and trail the best of seven series two games to one. The Hurricanes struck early with a goal 16 seconds in and carried that lead into the second. Regina got the tying goal from Dawson Leedahl, his 9th and it was 1-1. Four minutes later, Jadon Joseph stepped out of the penalty box, took the puck and scored on a breakaway to give the Hurricanes the lead back at 2-1. Lethbridge would add another in the third to make it 3-1 and that was the final score. The Pats outshot the Hurricanes 29-27 in the loss, the powerplay was oh for three and the penalty kill three for three.

Series At A Glance
The Pats and Hurricanes split the first two games of the Eastern Conference Championship at the Brandt Centre. The Hurricanes then won game three on home ice Tuesday night. The Pats have scored five goals through three games, the Hurricanes have eight. Regina has outshot Lethbridge 117-83, the powerplay has gone oh for 10 and the penalty kill nine for ten with a shorthanded goal. Sergey Zborovskiy leads the Pats with three assists in the first two games. Austin Wagner has scored twice and Filip Ahl has two helpers. Tyler Brown is 1-2 with a 2.16 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. The Hurricanes are led by Igor Merezhko and Giorgio Estephan who have three points in the series. Six other Hurricanes have two points. Stuart Skinner is 2-1 with a 1.52 goals against average and a .957 save percentage.

Brown Goalie of the Week
For a second consecutive week, the Pats Tyler Brown was named the WHL goaltender of the week on Monday. The 19-year-old Brown went 2-1 with a 1.53 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and 74 saves over 196 minutes played as the Regina Pats scored a Game 7 victory over the Swift Current Broncos before splitting the opening two games of the Eastern Conference Championship with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. This is the second consecutive week and third time this season Brown has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week. He was previously named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 12 and the week ending April 16. On Monday, April 17, Brown stopped 23 of 24 shots in a 5-1 win in Game 7 versus Swift Current as the Pats advanced to the Eastern Conference Championship. On Friday, April 21, Brown stopped 22 of 24 shots in a 3-1 loss versus Lethbridge and was named second star. He then stopped 29 of 31 shots on Saturday, April 22 in a 3-2 overtime win versus Lethbridge as the Pats split the opening games of the Eastern Conference Championship. Brown followed that up with a 24 save performance in game three in the Pats 3-1 loss to the Hurricanes.

Upcoming Schedule
Game 5, Pats Vs Lethbridge – Friday April 28, 7 p.m. – Brandt Centre (CKRM)
Game 6, Pats @ Lethbridge – Sunday April 30, 6 p.m. – Enmax Centre (CKRM) If necessary
Game 7, Pats Vs Lethbridge – Tuesday May 2, 7 p.m. – Brandt Centre (CKRM) If necessary