PREVIEW: Pats Set Sights on Bounce-Back Win Against Americans

PREVIEW: Pats Set Sights on Bounce-Back Win Against Americans

Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats visit the Toyota Centre tonight and take on the Americans at 9:05 CST.

WHL REGULAR SEASON GAME #23 | Regina Pats (9-10-2-1) at Tri-City Americans (8-9-2-0)

PREVIEW

The Regina Pats continue their six-game U.S. road trip tonight as they roll into Kennewick, WA for a matchup against the Tri-City Americans. Regina opened the trek on Wednesday with a tight 3–2 loss in Spokane, but the club enters tonight’s contest with points in four of its last five games (3-1-1) and sits seventh in the Eastern Conference with 21 points. Despite Wednesday’s setback, the Pats have turned their season around over the last month, winning eight of their last 14 games (8-4-1-1) since their 1-6-1 start.

The Pats were forced to play from behind early in Spokane, giving up two goals in the opening 12 minutes and trailing 2–0 after the first and second periods. Keets Fawcett broke the shutout just four minutes into the third to cut the deficit in half, but the Chiefs responded midway through the period to regain their two-goal cushion. Caden Brown scored with 40 seconds remaining to make it a one-goal game, but Regina ran out of time.

Marek Schlenker stopped 25 shots in the loss, and the shots were even at 28–28. Both teams finished 0-for-5 on the power play.

Tri-City enters tonight coming off a 5–4 overtime loss to the Kamloops Blazers on Tuesday. Cruz Pavao scored twice, Cash Koch recorded a goal and an assist—including the tying goal with 3:55 left—and Gavin Garland added a single. Carter Savage collected two assists, while Ryan Grout turned aside 31 shots.

The Americans have now dropped three straight, with their last victory coming on November 8 in a 6–2 win over Prince Albert. Last season, Tri-City finished seventh in the Western Conference with a 32-29-6-1 record before falling in five games to Victoria in the opening round. This year, they sit just three points back of a playoff spot with 18 points.

The Pats look to rebound as their U.S. Division road swing continues, while the Americans aim to snap their three-game slide and close ground in a tight Western Conference standings race. Tonight marks the only meeting of the season between Regina and Tri-City.

WHO TO WATCH

Seventeen-year-old forward Cohen Klassen has taken a major step in his second WHL season, already setting a new career high with 18 points (6G–12A) in 22 games after recording 17 points over 48 games as a rookie last year.

A versatile and reliable presence in the Pats’ lineup, Klassen has found another gear offensively of late, producing six points in his last five games (2G–4A) and entering tonight’s matchup with points in back-to-back contests (1G–2A).

COMING UP

The Regina then closes out the weekend and the first half of their two-week U.S. road trip on Saturday, November 22, with an 8:05 p.m. matchup against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

The Pats continue their U.S. road trip on Wednesday in Everett against the Silvertips.