RECAP: Pats Complete Comeback, Defeat Rebels In A Shootout
Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats completed yet another third period comeback, defeating the Red Deer Rebels 4-3 in a shootout on Friday inside the Brandt Centre.
The Rebels and Pats were tied at one after 40 minutes of play before Red Deer scored twice in the opening four minutes of the third to take a 3-1 lead. Braxton Whitehead got the Pats within one and Tanner Howe tied the contest at three with a short-handed marker past the halfway mark for his second of the game.
Ewan Huet stopped 14 shots in the third and 36 overall for his third win of the season. Howe finished the game with three points (2G-1A) and Braxton Whitehead chipped in with a multi-point effort (1G-1A).
The Pats improve to 5-3-1 on the season, as well as 4-1-1 at home, having won their last three home games. The Pats have also won back-to-back games overall for the second time this year.
The Rebels fall to 2-3-1 on the season. Samuel Drancak scored twice, Mats Lindgren found the back of the net and Kalan Lind tallied two assists. Kyle Kelsey suffered the loss, allowing three goals on 21 shots.
THEY SAID IT
“Tonight was a matter of some resilience, to be honest. They had periods of time where they carried the play in our end, but we expect that to happen at times throughout the year. We worked really hard on our end-zone play and I thought our guys did a really good job. Our guys persevered. Jaxsin Vaughan said to me on the bench when it was 3-1 that we’re not losing this game tonight. It’s just that kind of attitude that we have and I really think guys are buying in.” – Regina Pats Assistant Coach Ken Schneider
FINAL: Pats 4, Rebels 3 in a Shootout
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0 Pats at 10:47 – Tanner Howe (6), assisted by Borya Valis & Braxton Whitehead (PP) // Howe and Valis broke in on a give-and-go with Howe being the recipient of a pass alone in front of Kelsey, and he tucked a nice backhander past the Rebels netminder to give the Pats a 1-0 lead with a powerplay goal.
Second Period
1-1 Rebels at 9:18 – Samuel Drancak (1), assisted by Kalan Lind // Lind drew the attention of most of the Pat defenders in their zone where he found Drancak alone in front of Huet and he deked out the Pats netminder to put the Rebels on even terms at 1-1.
Third Period
2-1 Rebels at 2:44 – Mats Lindgren (2), assisted by Ollie Josephson & Carson Birnie // Josephson hit a wide-open trailing Lindgren with a pass in front of Huet and he tapped it past the Pats netminder to give the Rebels a one-goal lead at 2-1.
3-1 Rebels at 3:19 – Samuel Drancak (2), assisted by Carson Latimer & Kalan Lind // Latimer’s pass from behind the Pats goalline is chipped home by Drancak to extend the Rebels lead to a pair just 35 seconds after grabbing the lead.
3-2 Pats at 10:33 – Braxton Whitehead (4), assisted by Tanner Howe & Parker Berge (PP) // Howe sent a pass to Whitehead along the right boards, he carried the puck towards the Rebels net and he let a shot go that deflected off a skate and past Kelsey to pull the Pats to within one at 3-2.
3-3 Pats at 13:00 – Tanner Howe (7), unassisted (SH) // A turnover at centre ice gave Howe an advantage and he was able to go in on a breakaway and tucked a nifty shot through Kelsey’s five-hole to tie the game up at 3-3 with a shorthanded goal.
Overtime
No scoring.
Shootout
REG: Howe – no
RD: Uchacz – goal
REG: Valis – goal
RD: Lind – no
REG: Shantz – no
RD: Brigley – no
REG: Whitehead – goal
RD: Formanek – no
PATS WIN!
SOG: Regina – 6-4-9-1-20 | Red Deer – 12-9-16-2-39
PP: Regina – 2/4 | Red Deer 0/6
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Ewan Huet (36 saves / 39 shots)
Red Deer: Kyle Kelsey (17 saves / 20 shots)
Three Stars
First: Howe – Pats (2G, 1A, 6/9 in face-off attempts)
Second: Huet – Pats (36 saves, win)
Third: Drancak – Rebels (2G, +2)
JUST NOTES
- Tanner Howe has scored in three straight contests and has points in four straight games (4G-3A). He’s also had points in eight of the nine games the Pats have played this season.
- Borya Valis (1G-1A) and Braxton Whitehead (2G-2A) each have points in back-to-back games.
- Jaren Brinson is the 1,423rd player to suit up for the Pats in a regular season or playoff game.
- The Pats have picked up back-to-back come-from-behind wins.
- Tonight was the Pats’ first shootout win since February 1, 2023, when they beat the Hitmen 6-5 in Calgary (Connor Bedard picked up the shootout winner that night.
UP NEXT
The Pats face off with the Lethbridge Hurricanes under the orange top on Saturday, October 14, to conclude their mini three-game homestand. Get your tickets here.
