RECAP: Late Push Falls Short as Pats Drop 5–2 Decision to Raiders

Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats rallied late but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 5–2 to the Prince Albert Raiders, with two empty-net goals sealing the result in the final two minutes.

Prince Albert built a 3–0 advantage through the first 30 minutes, striking twice in the opening frame before adding a power-play marker midway through the second period. Despite being under sustained pressure for stretches, Pats goaltender Marek Schlenker weathered the storm, turning aside several quality chances—particularly early in the third period—to keep Regina within striking distance.

The Pats found life late in the second period on the power play. Ruslan Karimov opened the scoring for Regina at 18:50, pouncing on a rebound generated by Caden Brown and Ephram McNutt. Just 34 seconds later, Zachary Lansard buried another power-play rebound after Keets Fawcett kept the puck in at the blue line, pulling the Pats within one at 3–2 heading into the second intermission.

Regina pressed for the equalizer in the third, but Schlenker’s early saves were matched by the Raiders holding the Pats at bay offensively. With the Pats net empty late, Brayden Dube iced the game with a pair of empty-net goals at 18:16 and 19:57, completing a hat trick and lifting Prince Albert to the 5–2 victory.

FINAL: Prince Albert Raiders 5, Regina Pats 2

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THE GOALS

First Period

Raiders 1-0 — #15 Brayden Dube (15), unassisted at 7:20 // Dube won a race for a loose puck at the Pats blueline, got behind the defenders and muscled a shot over Schlenker’s glove to make it 1-0 for the Raiders.

Raiders 2-0 — #29 Brandon Gorzynski (17), assisted by #19 Aiden Oiring & #10 Daxon Rudolph at 17:18 // Gorzynski got the puck deep on the right side of the  Pats zone, cut out front and lifted a shot over Schlenker’s shoulder to extend the Raiders’ lead to 2-0.

Second Period

Raiders 3-0 — #14 Max Heise (17), assisted by #10 Daxon Rudolph & #12 Brock Cripps at 10:38 (PP) // Rudolph’s shot from the left point caromed off Heise and past Schlenker to make it 3-0 Raiders.

Pats 3-1 — #25 Ruslan Karimov (8), assisted by #27 Caden Brown & #55 Ephram McNutt at 18:50 (PP) // McNutt passed the puck to Brown at the left circle, he took a shot that was kicked out by Bass to Karimov who grabbed the rebound and knocked it home to get the Pats on the board at 3-1.

Pats 3-2 — #57 Zachary Lansard (14), assisted by #10 Keets Fawcett at 19:24 (PP) // Fawcett kept the puck in at the Raiders’ blueline, attempted a shot that was blocked but the puck went to Lansard at the right circle, and he buried the rebound to pull the to within one at 3-2.

Third Period

Raiders 4-2 — #15 Brayden Dube (16), unassisted at 18:16 (EN) // Dube won a battle for the puck in the Pats zone and put the game away with an empty netter.

Raiders 5-2 — #15 Brayden Dube (17), #14 Max Heise & #19 Aiden Oiring at 19:57 (EN) // Dube adds another empty net goal.

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Shots on Goal

• Pats: 14 – 7 – 10 — 31

• Raiders: 10 – 8 – 11 — 29

Power Plays

• Pats: 2/4

• Raiders: 1/2

Goaltending

• Pats: Marek Schlenker —  24 saves on 27 shots

• Raiders: Steele Bass —  28 saves on 30 shots

Three Stars

• First Star: #10 Daxon Rudolph (2A)
• Second Star: #35 Marek Schlenker (24SV)
• Third Star: #15 Brayden Dube (3G)

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COMING UP 

The Regina Pats return to the ice on Friday, January 9 at the Brandt Centre when they host the Red Deer Rebels. The Pats will then travel to Brandon and take on the Wheat Kings on Saturday, January 10.