RECAP: Pats Late Comeback Spoiled In 5-2 Loss
Swift Current, Sask. – The Regina Pats began their five game road swing with a 5-2 loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Friday inside the InnovationPlex.
With the Broncos leading 3-0 after two periods of play, the Pats got back into the hockey game with two consecutive goals in the first four minutes of the third period to go down 3-2.
Keagan Slaney got the Pats on the board with a power play goal and Jaxsin Vaughan put the Pats down one. Just under two minutes later, Owen Pickering regained the Broncos two goal lead and Petr Pavelec put the icing on the cake, making it 5-2 late.
THEY SAID IT
“It was kind of an odd game for me. I thought we had a pretty good start but we kind of played in spirts, and ebbs and flows. Once we scored a couple goals, our whole behavior and attitude changed. It looked like we were on our way. We’ve had some breakaways, we’ve had some scrambles around the net but we haven’t been able to cash in. Those were chances at critical moments in the game where we could at least get the lead or tie the game. I think our guys are feeling the stress of struggling to score.” – Assistant Coach Ken Schneider
FULL POST-GAME INTERVIEW WITH KEN SCHNEIDER
FINAL SCORE: Broncos 5, Pats 2
Click for the Official WHL Box Score
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0 Broncos at 9:34 – Rylan Gould (7), assisted by Brady Birnie & Luke Mistelbacher // A turnover led to a three-on-one where Huet was able to make the first save but the rebound went to Gould who put the puck past an outstretched Huet to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
Second Period
2-0 Broncos at 7:40 – Clarke Caswell (8), assisted by Grayson Burzynski & Owen Pickering // Caswell was able to carry the puck into the slot and fired a shot past Huet’s blocker to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead..
3-0 Broncos at 10:55 – Josh Filmon (7), unassisted // The Broncos held the puck in the Pats zone and Filmon was able to skate into the slot and took a shot that was stopped by Huet but the rebound went back to Filmon and he buried the puck past the sprawling Pats goalie to make it 3-0.
Third Period
3-1 Pats at 2:21 – Keagan Slaney (2), assisted by Zackary Shantz & Cole Temple (PP) // The Pats worked the puck around the Broncos zone and Shantz fed Slaney at the point, he ripped a shot past Rocha to get the Pats on the board now down 3-1.
3-2 Pats at 3:57 – Jaxzin Vaughan (4), assisted by Anthony Wilson & Cole Temple // The Pats busted into the Broncos zone on an odd-man rush, Wilson’s shot was stopped by Rocha but the rebound went to Vaughan and he fired the puck past Rocha to pull the Pats to within one at 3-2.
4-2 Broncos at 5:28 – Owen Pickering (3), assisted by Josh Fluker & Petr Pavelec // Pickering ripped a point shot through a screen and off the post and past Huet to restore the Broncos two-goal lead at 4-2.
5-2 Broncos at 16:17 – Petr Pavelec (1), assisted by Josh Filmon // The Broncos entered the Pats zone with speed and Pavelec’s shot hit Huet in the blocker arm and snuck past the Pats netminder to give the Broncos a three-goal cushion late in the third period.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 11-9-10-30 | Swift Current – 16-22-13-51
PP: Regina – 1/2 | Swift Current – 0/2
Face-offs: Regina – 32 | Swift Current – 39
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Ewan Huet ( 46 saves / 51 shots)
Swift Current: Joey Rocha ( 28 saves / 30 shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Petr Pavelec – Broncos (1G-1A)
Second: Owen Pickering – Broncos (1G-1A)
Third: Rylan Gould – Broncos (1G)
JUST NOTES
- Keagan Slaney scored his second goal of the season, both have been scored in the last four games.
- Cole Temple doubled his assist total with a pair in the game, they were his first points in four games. It was also his first two-point performance since the season opener (1G-1A) in Brandon.
- Anthony Wilson picked up his first point in a Regina Pat uniform with an assist. The assist was his first point in seven games.
- Zackary Shantz picked up his third helper of the season and now has points in three of his last six games.
- Jaxsin Vaughan scored his fourth goal of the season which doubles his total from a season ago. He has three goals in his last four games.
- Tanner Howe’s three-game goal-scoring streak came to an end in the loss.
- The Pats fell to below .500 for the first time in the season.
- It was the fourth time the Pats have allowed 50 or more shots in a game this season.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Pats are off until Wednesday, November 22 when they travel to Medicine Hat to face the Tigers at 8:00 pm. (Saskatchewan time). They will continue their Alberta trip on Friday, November 25 when they travel to Edmonton to play the Oil Kings at 8:00 pm. The next night the Pats travel to Red Deer to play the Rebels with yet another 8:00 pm puck drop to finish their three games in four days Alberta swing.
