RECAP: Pats Edge Broncos; Bedard Sets New Franchise Record
Final Score: Pats 4, Broncos 2
Record: 25-34-3-2
Standings: 11th Place, Eastern Conference
Points Back of 8th: 4
Swift Current, Sask. — The Regina Pats kept their slim playoff hopes alive on Friday night, snagging the win over the Swift Current Broncos by a 4-2 score.
Stealing the show was 16-year-old Kelton Pyne, who made 37 saves on 39 shots to improve to 3-1-1 in his young Western Hockey League career.
“I don’t think we were at our best in the first period. I think it looked like we were playing in quicksand,” Pats assistant coach Brad Herauf said after the game. “Pyne gave us a lot of big saves and held us in the game until we got our feet going in the second period.
“Today we weren’t overcome by the momentum shifts in the game. We held the game and acted really maturely in this game when we weren’t at our best.”
As for the bigger picture, history was made in two separate ways by Connor Bedard. The youngster scored twice, his 46th and 47th goals of the season, breaking both the Pats single season record for goals by a 16-year-old (46) and points by a 16-year-old (89). The previous records were held by Jeff Friesen (45 goals in 1992-93) and Doug Wickenheiser (88 points in 1977-78).
“To be a part of and see where Connor is now, I think it’s going to be special,” Herauf said. “I think it’s going to be a long time before someone beats his records.”
Also scoring for the Pats were Logan Nijhoff, who recently signed an American Hockey League deal with the San Diego Gulls, and Borya Valis, who hit the double digit mark with his 10th of the season.
The Broncos got contributions from Cole Nagy and Raphael Pelletier.
The win means that while the Pats remain in 11th-place in the Eastern Conference, they are now just four points back of the 8th-place Broncos. The Pats have three games in hand on them and four games remaining on their schedule. Calgary sits in 9th, three points ahead of Regina, and Prince Albert sits in 10th, two points ahead of the Pats.
THE GOALS
1st Period
No Goals
2nd Period
SC 1-0 at 13:42 — Cole Nagy (13), assisted by Eric Van Impe andRylan Gould // Nagy broke the goose egg late in the second off an odd-man rush, thanks to a shot from the left circle that snuck under the arm of Pyne.
REG 1-1 at 16:34 — Connor Bedard (46), assisted by Tanner Howe and Braxton Whitehead // Howe centered the puck for Bedard, who had it deflect off his skate and hit Poulter in the crease, before dribbling just over the goal line. Ugly no doubt, but also one for the record books!
3rd Period
REG 2-1 at 1:46 — Borya Valis (10), assisted by Logan Nijhoff and Parker Berge // Berge’s point shot was deflected by Nijhoff and bounced right to Valis at the side of the net, who made no mistake.
REG 3-1 at 7:37 — Logan Nijhoff (21), assisted by Parker Berge // Another Berge point shot that changed direction, this time after it hit the pants of Nijhoff in front and went in.
SC 2-3 at 19:41 — Raphael Pelletier (20), assisted by Mathew Ward and Sam McGinley// Pelletier potted a rebound with the extra attacker out to get the Broncos to within a goal.
REG 4-2 at 19:52 — Connor Bedard (47), assisted by Neithan Salame and Luke Bateman (ENG) // Bedard put it into the empty net with 8 seconds to go to seal the deal.
FINAL: Pats 4 | Broncos 2
STATISTICS
SOG: REG — 26 | SC — 39
PP: REG — 0/3 | SC — 0/3
Face-Offs: REG — 40 | SC — 34
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne was a wall, stopping 37 of 39 shots he faced. He was named the game’s first star.
Swift Current: Isaac Poulter allowed three goals on 25 shots.
3 STARS
Kelton Pyne — REG: 37 saves on 39 shots
Logan Nijhoff — REG: 1G, 1A, 3 SOG
Rylan Gould — SC: 1A, 3 SOG
UP NEXT
The Pats next game is a home date with the Prince Albert Raiders tomorrow at the Brandt Centre. For tickets, click here.
