RECAP: Pats battle Back In The Third To Beat Hurricanes 3-2
Final Score: Pats 3, Hurricanes 2
Record: 24-21-2-1 (51 Points)
Lethbridge, Alta. — The Regina Pats completed their second straight comeback win, edging the Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-2 before 5378 spectators at the Enmax Centre on Friday.
Zack Stringer played hero, scoring the game-winner early in the third period in his first game back from injury. The goal marked his third of the season and first against his former team in his hometown. Alexander Suzdalev scored the tying goal just over a minute prior to Stringer’s goal for his 27th of the year, while finishing the night with two points (1G-1A). Sam Oremba scored his sixth of the season to open the scoring in the first and Drew Sim grabbed his 20th victory of the season, making 33 saves.
On the other side, the Hurricanes got their only two goals within the first two minutes of the second period, as Tyson Laventure and Logan Wormald scored the Hurricanes goals, and Bryan Thomson made 22 saves as the Hurricanes three game winning-streak came to a close.
The Pats have now recorded five of a possible six points (2-0-1) over the first three games of their four game road trip.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIGHT
🚨 OREMBA STAYS HOT 🚨
From behind the net, Suzdalev feeds a beautiful pass out front to Oremba, who makes no mistake to open the scoring!#LegendsInTheMaking | #REGvsLET pic.twitter.com/tuAMUUm1aE
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) February 4, 2023
THE GOALS
First Period
REG 1-0 at 7:32 — Sam Oremba (6), assisted by Alexander Suzdalev // After a big check in the left corner of the Hurricanes zone, Suzdalev got the puck behind the net and sent a no-look backhand pass to Oremba who was standing in front and had an easy tap in to give the Pats a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.
Second Period
LET 1-1 at 38 seconds— Tyson Laventure (16), assisted by Blake Swetlikoff // Swetlikoff picked off a Pats’ clearing attempt at the Pats blueline, and his long-range shot was deflected in by Laventure and past Sim to tie the game at 1-1 early in the second period.
LET 1-2 at 1:46 — Logan Wormald (19), assisted by Brayden Edwards and Tristan Doyle // Edwards carried the puck along the right-wing boards and found an undetected Wormald in the slot where he fired a shot past Sim to give the Hurricanes their first lead of the contest just over a minute after tying the contest up.
Third Period
REG 2-2 at 4:36 — Alexander Suzdalev (27), assisted by Braxton Whitehead // Whitehead won an offensive zone face-off forward to himself before finding Suzdalev who was alone in front for the goal to tie the game up at 2-2.
REG 3-2 at 5:44 — Zack Stringer (3), assisted by Zane Rowan and Stanislav Svozil // Rowan’s shot from the blueline was kicked out by Thomson right to Stringer who put it five-hole through the goalies’ legs to give the Pats a 3-2 lead.
STATISTICS
SOG: REG — 7-7-11-25 | LET 15-8-12-35
PP: REG — 0/2 | LET — 0/4
Face-Offs: REG — 28 | LET — 24
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Drew Sim (35 shots/33 saves)
Lethbridge: Bryan Thomson (25 shots/22 saves)
3 STARS
First: Suzdalev (1G-1A, +2, 1 shot) – Pats
Second: Wormald (1G, 4 shots) – Hurricanes
Third: Whitehead (1A, +1) – Pats
NOTES
- Connor Bedard’s 35-game point-streak and 11-game goal streak came to an end. He still has 68 points in his last 25 games. He still leads the WHL in goals (44), assists (46), points (90), and shots on goal (241). He has 17 goals, nine assists, and 26 points in nine games since coming back from the World Juniors.
- Braxton Whitehead had a solid outing and picked up a key assist to increase his point-streak to three games (2G-2A).
- Stanislav Svozil notched an assist and is now up to 13 points (13A) in his eight games since returning from the World Juniors.
- Alexander Suzdalev had two points (1G-1A) to extend his point-streak to nine games (6G-11A-17PTS).
- Drew Sim was outstanding in goal as he notched his 20th win of the season and becomes the sixth WHL goaltender to do so.
- Sam Oremba scored and now has points in three straight games (2G-2A).
- Zane Rowan picked up his first assist since November 17th.
- Zack Stringer scored the game-winner in his return to the line-up in his hometown (missed four games with an upper-body injury).
- The Pats moved to 11-5-2-1 against the Central Division this season.
UP NEXT
The Pats conclude their four-game Alberta swing with a stop in Medicine Hat to play the Tigers on Sunday, February 5th with a 5:00 pm face-off at Co-Op Place. The Pats return home for their next action at the Brandt Centre on Saturday, February 11th when they host their Trans-Canada rival Moose Jaw Warriors with a 7:00 pm puck drop. Get your tickets here.
