RECAP: Pats lose regular season finale 5-3 to Raiders
Final Score: Raiders 5, Pats 3
Record: 34-30-3-1 (72 Points)
Seed: 6th – Eastern Conference
Regina, Sask. — The Regina Pats wrapped up the final game of the regular season on Saturday, with the Prince Albert Raiders spoiling the Pats 5-3 inside the Brandt Centre.
The Pats got goals from Stanislav Svozil, Tanner Howe and Connor Bedard in the loss, while Kelton Pyne made 25 saves. The Pats did have a late comeback, scoring two unanswered late in the third to make it a 5-3 game.
Former Pat’ Sloan Stanick recorded a hat-trick, with Aiden Oiring and Evan Herman adding singles. Tikhon Chaika made 29 saves in the victory for the Raiders as they finished their regular season on a high note.
The Pats will begin their round one playoff matchup against the Saskatoon Blades next week.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT
🚨 STAN THE MAN 🚨
Svozil goes coast to coast and sneaks the backhander past Chaika to get us on the board!#LegendsInTheMaking | #REGvsPA pic.twitter.com/xD3gyMHrHI
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) March 26, 2023
THE GOALS
First Period
PA 0-1 at 16:39 — Aiden Oiring (12) assisted by Easton Kovacs and Ryder Ritchie (5-on-3) // Kovacs’ shot to the net hit Oiring in the face and in past Pyne. After it was first waved off, a review determined it to be a good goal and gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead late in the first period.
Second Period
PA 0-2 at 10:23 — Sloan Stanick (29) assisted by Ryder Ritchie and Aiden Oiring // A turnover at the Pats blueline led to a two-on-one with Stanick converting a Ritchie pass in close to put the Raiders up 2-0.
PA 0-3 at 12:44 — Sloan Stanick (30) unassisted (SH) // A bad pass led to a Stanick breakaway and he made no mistake as he tucked a backhand past Pyne to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead halfway through the middle frame.
Third Period
REG 1-3 at 2:59 — Stanislav Svozil (11) assisted by Tanner Brown // Svozil carried the puck deep into the Raiders’ end and sent a backhand over Chaika’s shoulder to get the Pats on the board at 3-1.
REG 1-4 at 4:15 — Sloan Stanick (31) assisted by Landon Kosior and Eric Johnston // A bad pass led to an odd-man rush where Stanick’s shot and fired the puck past Pyne’s glove to restore the Raiders’ three-goal lead at 4-1.
PA 1-5 at 8:54 — Evan Herman (18) assisted by Hayden Pakkala // Pakkala added to the Raiders lead when he sent a shot short side past Pyne to extend the Raiders lead to 5-1.
Howie gets one back for us!#LegendsInTheMaking | #REGvsPA pic.twitter.com/rdH238wia4
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) March 26, 2023
REG 2-5 at 13:19 — Tanner Howe (36) assisted by Alexander Suzdalev // Suzdalev carried the puck deep into the Raiders’ zone and went down past the goalline and sent a pass to Howe in front who made no mistake to get the Pats back into the game at 5-2.
Howie gets one back for us!#LegendsInTheMaking | #REGvsPA pic.twitter.com/rdH238wia4
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) March 26, 2023
REG 3-5 at 15:00 — Connor Bedard (71) assisted by Alexander Suzdalev and Tanner Howe // Bedard skated through the slot and fired a shot past Chaika’s blocker to pull the Pats to within a pair at 5-3.
STATISTICS
SOG: REG — 9-10-13-32 | PA — 11-9-10-30
PP: REG — 0/3 | PA — 1/3
Face-Offs: REG — 39 | PA — 21
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (30 shots/25 saves)
Prince Albert: Tikhon Chaika (32 shots/29 saves)
3 STARS
First: Brown (20-year-old) – Pats
Second: Ginnell (20-year-old) – Pats
Third: Stanick (hat-trick) – Raiders
NOTES
- Connor Bedard scored his 71st of the season and finished with a league-leading 143 points. His 71 goals and 72 assists also lead the league. He has 79 points (44G-35A) in 29 games since returning from the World Juniors. Bedard has also scored 10 goals and 18 points over his last six games.
- Stanislav Svozil scored his career-high 11th goal of the season. He ended the regular season with 78 points (11G-67A) which puts him tied for 12th all-time in Pats’ franchise history for points by a defenceman in a single season (with Doug Piper, 1964-65 pre-WHL). His 67 assists put him in a tie for 6th place all-time in franchise history by a defenceman (with Jayson Meyer, 1983-84).
- Tanner Howe had a goal and an assist to give him 17 points (8G-9A) in his last 13 games and ended the season on a six-game point streak.
- Alexander Suzdalev had a pair of assists in the contest as he ended the season with 86 points and will finish first in the WHL for rookie scoring. His 38 goals and 48 assists will also lead all rookies.
UP NEXT
The Pats travel to Saskatoon to face the Blades in game one of playoff action on Friday, March 31st at 7:00 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.
