PREVIEW: Pats Open Weekend Set Against Broncos
Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats wrap up a stretch of five straight road games tonight as they take on the Swift Current Broncos at the InnovationPlex.
WHL REGULAR SEASON GAME #45 | Regina Pats (15-23-5-1) vs. Swift Current Broncos (11-31-3-0)
| Date | Time | Friday, January 30 | 7:00pm CST |
| Place | InnovationPlex |
| Watch / Listen Live | Victory+ | 620 CKRM |
| Live Stats | Click Here |
| Game Notes | Click Here |
| Roster | Click Here |
| What’s Next | Next Game: Saturday, January 31 vs. Moose Jaw |
| Social Media | Follow on “X” | Facebook | Instagram |
GAME PREVIEW
The Regina Pats are set to return home to the Brandt Centre tomorrow night, wrapping up a stretch of five straight games away from home as they take on the Swift Current Broncos to open an important weekend series. The Pats will then turn their attention to the Moose Jaw Warriors, who sit just three points ahead of Regina in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Regina closed out its Alberta road trip and a demanding stretch of four games in five nights with a 6–3 loss to the Calgary Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday. The Pats found themselves trailing early, falling behind 2–0 and eventually down 3–1 after the opening period. Both teams traded a pair of goals in the second frame, sending Calgary into the third with a 5–3 lead.
Despite being outshot early, Regina pushed hard late, dominating the third period 21–9 and finishing with a 43–40 edge in shots overall. However, Hitmen goaltender Eric Tu stood tall, turning aside 40 shots to help Calgary even the season series at 1–1.
Keets Fawcett led the way offensively for the Pats, recording a goal, an assist, and a fight to complete a Gordie Howe hat trick. Matt Paranych chipped in with two assists, while Zach Lansard and Connor Bear also found the back of the net, with Bear scoring his first goal of the season—fittingly against his former club. Regina finished the night 1-for-5 on the power play and 0-for-2 on the penalty kill.
With the loss, the Pats remain tied with the Red Deer Rebels for eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 36 points. Moose Jaw currently holds seventh with a three-point cushion, adding extra importance to every result this weekend.
Across the ice tomorrow, the Swift Current Broncos enter play sitting last in the WHL standings with an 11-31-3-0 record and 25 points. After snapping a 16-game losing streak on January 3 with a 7–4 win over Lethbridge, the Broncos have shown signs of life, posting a 3-5-1 record over their last nine games.
Swift Current is coming off an impressive 7–3 victory over the Victoria Royals, highlighted by a standout 40-save performance from Aiden Eskit. Hudson Darby paced the offence with three points (1G–2A), while Sawyer Dingman scored twice. Anthony Wilson, Jace McFaul, and Jaxen Gauchier each recorded two-point nights, Hyde Davidson added two assists, and Brendan Rudolph rounded out the scoring. The Broncos outshot Victoria 47–43, going 2-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Despite Swift Current’s recent uptick, the Pats have controlled the season series, leading it 3–1. Regina took the most recent meeting in dominant fashion, earning a 7–0 shutout victory on January 14. Overall, the Pats have outscored the Broncos 21–6 across the four matchups.
WHO TO WATCH
Keets Fawcett continues to be a driving force for the Regina Pats and enters tonight’s matchup riding another strong performance. The Pats forward picked up a goal and an assist in his last outing, pushing his season totals to 39 points (23G–16A) in 35 games, cementing himself as one of Regina’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
Fawcett has been especially effective against the Swift Current Broncos this season, recording seven points (3G–4A) in four games against Regina’s Highway 1 rivals. His ability to generate offence in all situations, combined with his physical edge, makes him a constant threat every time he’s on the ice.
Also worth keeping an eye on is Zach Lansard, who found the back of the net in Regina’s last game for his 16th goal of the season. Lansard has enjoyed similar success against Swift Current, tallying seven points (3G–4A) in the season series, and has shown a knack for coming up big in divisional matchups.
COMING UP
The Regina Pats return to action on Saturday, January 31 against the Moose Jaw Warriors at the Brandt Centre with puck drop set for 6pm. That will be the opening game of a three game homestand for the Blue Brigade as they host Saskatoon and Calgary next weekend.
