PREVIEW: Pats Visit Hurricanes as Series Shifts to Lethbridge for Game 3

The Regina Pats (9-4) are on the road tonight for game three of the Eastern Conference Championship Series against the Lethbridge Hurricanes (9-7). Puck drop at the Enmax Centre is at 7 p.m. The Pats won game two on Saturday night, 3-2 in overtime to tie the best-of-seven series at a game apiece. 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: Adam Brooks Lifts Pats to OT Win in Game 2
The Regina Pats evened the Eastern Conference Championship Series at a game apiece with a 3-2 overtime win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday night. Regina opened the scoring, 9:44 into the first when Jeff de Wit tipped home his second of the playoffs. It stayed that way until seven minutes into the third when Austin Wagner scored on a shorthanded breakaway, his 12th of the post-season, to make it a 2-0 game. Two minutes after that, the Hurricanes struck twice, just 33 seconds apart to tie the game 2-2 and eventually force overtime. 17:05 into the extra frame, Adam Brooks buried his fourth from the left circle to give the Pats the 3-2 win and a 1-1 series tie. Regina outshot Lethbridge 51-31 in the win, Tyler Brown made 29 saves for the Pats, Stuart Skinner 48 for the Hurricanes.

Series At A Glance
The Pats and Hurricanes split the first two games of the Eastern Conference Championship at the Brandt Centre. The Pats have scored four goals through two games, the Hurricanes have five. Regina has outshot Lethbridge 88-56, the powerplay has gone oh for seven and the penalty kill six for seven with a shorthanded goal. Sergey Zborovkiy 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 1-1 with a 1.77 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. The Hurricanes are led by Igor Merezhko who has three assists in the series. Jordy Bellerive and Giorgio Estephan each have two goals while Zak Zborosky has two assists. Stuart Skinner is 1-1 with a 1.75 goals against average and a .955 save percentage.

Scoring First
Through 13 games in the playoffs, the Pats have scored first 11 times and given up the first goal twice. Calgary opened the scoring in game one of the first round while Swift Current got the first goal in game five of the second round. The Pats came back to win both those games and are seven and four when scoring first in the post season. Regina has picked up the first goal in both of the games against Lethbridge so far. Austin Wagner and Dawson Leedahl lead the team with three first goals, Sam Steel has two, Dawson Davidson, Jeff de Wit and Jonathan Smart have one.

Streaks
Pats forwards Austin Wagner and Filip Ahl are riding four game point streaks entering game three tonight. Wagner has scored in each of those four games, he has six goals and an assist in that stretch. Ahl meanwhile has two goals and five assists in his last four. Wagner is currently second in the WHL playoffs with 12 goals and Ahl is tied for second in rookie scoring with 10 points.

Upcoming Schedule
Game 4, Pats @ Lethbridge – Wednesday April 26, 7 p.m. – Enmax Centre (CKRM)
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