RECAP: Pats end 2023-24 season with loss in Moose Jaw
PHOTO CREDIT: Nick Pettigrew
Moose Jaw, Sask. – The Regina Pats ended the 2023-24 regular season with a 11-1 loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Braxton Whitehead scored the Pats only goal, grabbing his 17th of the season, finishing the year with a career-high 52 points in 52 games.
The Warriors struck five times on the power play. Jagger Firkus (3G-2A) and Brayden Yager (5A) led the way with five point games. Meanwhile, Matthew Savoie tallied four points (1G-4A) and Martin Rysavy recorded a hat-trick.
The Warriors finish the season 44-21-0-3 with 91 points. They will take on the Brandon Wheat Kings in round one of the WHL playoffs. The Pats end their season with a 22-40-4-2 record and 50 points, 11th in the East.
FULL POST-GAME INTERVIEW WITH ASST. COACH EVAN MCFEETERS
FINAL SCORE: Warriors 11, Pats 1
Click for the Official WHL Box Score
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0 Warriors at 5:48 – Martin Rysavy (23), assisted by Brayden Yager & Matthew Savoie (PP) // Yager was able to skate into the high slot and he let a wrist shot go that was deflected in by Rysavy past Pyne to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
2-0 Warriors at 7:54 – Aiden Ziprick (1), assisted by Brayden Yager & Cosmo Wilson // Yager skated behind the Pats net and sent a pass to the left circle where Ziprick ripped a one-timer past Pyne to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.
3-0 Warriors at 18:20 – Matthew Savoie (30), assisted by Brayden Yager & Denton Mateychuk (5-on-3) // Savoie got behind the Pats and was sprung on a partial breakaway and fired a backhand over Pyne to extend the Warriors lead to three at 3-0.
Second Period
4-0 Warriors at 7 seconds – Jagger Firkus (59), assisted by Matthew Savoie & Atley Calvert (5-on-3) // Off the opening face-off of the second period the Warriors went on a rush and Firkus fired a shot past Pyne to add to the lead at 4-0.
5-0 Warriors at 43 seconds – Atley Calvert (47), assisted by Jagger Firkus & Brayden Yager (PP) // Firkus carried the puck behind the net and found Calvert at the top of the blue paint and he one-timed it past Pyne to make it 5-0.
6-0 Warriors at 3:40 – Martin Rysavy (24), assisted by Brayden Yager & Kalem Parker // The initial shot was kicked out by Pyne but the rebound ended up on Rysavy’s stick and he went between the legs to beat Pyne to make it 6-0.
6-1 Pats at 7:09 – Braxton Whitehead (17), assisted by Jaxsin Vaughan & Aaron Krestanowich // Vaughan found Whitehead as he was just coming out of the penalty box and he streaked in on a breakaway and beat Unger to stop the bleeding and get the Queen City Kids on the board.
7-1 Warriors at 13:53 – Jagger Firkus (60), assisted by Kalem Parker & Matthew Savoie (PP) // Firkus grabbed the puck behind the net and made a lacrosse move that worked to give the Warriors a 7-1 lead.
Third Period
8-1 Warriors at 50 seconds – Jagger Firkus (61), assisted by Player & Player // Firkus stole the puck, went in on a breakaway, and beat Pyne to make it 8-1.
9-1 Warriors at 7:02 – Vojtech Port (4), assisted by Jagger Firkus // Port one-timed a point shot past Pyne to make it 9-1.
10-1 Warriors at 16:39 – Martin Rysavy (25), unassisted // Rysavy scored on a wraparound to make it 10-1.
11-1 Warriors at 17:47 – Pavel McKenzie (15), assisted by Aiden Ziprick & Kalem Parker // A wide shot bounced out front to McKenzie who deposited it past Huet to make it 11-1.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 7-8-7–22 | Moose Jaw – 19-17-13–49
PP: Regina – 0/0 | Moose Jaw – 5/9
Face-offs: Regina – 27 | Moose Jaw – 37
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (36 saves / 45 shots in 52:52) and Ewan Huet (2 saves / 4 shots in 7:08)
Moose Jaw: Jackson Unger (17 saves / 18 shots) and Dimitri Fortin (4 saves / 4 shots in 7:08)
THE 3 STARS
First: Atley Calvert – Warriors
Second: Lucas Brenton – Warriors
Third: Martin Rysavy – Warriors
JUST NOTES
- Braxton Whitehead scored his 17th goal of the season guaranteeing him a season of at least a point per game as the 19-year-old forward will finish with 52 points in 52 games.
- Jaxsin Vaughan had an assist which will give him 25 points (15G-10A) on the season which is five times his point total of last season.
- Aaron Krestanowich picked up his second assist of the season and will finish the season with six points (4G-2A).
WHAT’S NEXT
That’s all folks. Thank you all for reading our recaps, joining our broadcasts, following the team and coming out to the Brandt Centre all season long. Your support means the world! Have a good summer and see you next season.