RECAP: Pats punch ticket to playoffs with 7-3 win over Warriors
Final Score: Pats 7, Warriors 3
Record: 33-28-3-1 (70 Points)
Seed: 6th – Eastern Conference
Moose Jaw, Sask. — The Regina Pats clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the 2017-18 season with a 7-3 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday inside the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Connor Bedard led the way with yet another five point game (3G-2A), while Braxton Whitehead (1G-2A), Parker Berge (1G-1A), Riley Ginnell and Zack Stringer rounded out the scoring. Drew Sim made 45 saves for his 27th victory of the season.
The Warriors got goals from Martin Rysavy, Tate Schofer and Jagger Firkus in the loss, which ended their four game winning-streak. Jackson Unger allowed six goals on 22 shots in the defeat.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT
🚨 BERGE SHORTHANDED 🚨
Parker Berge with a bullet coming down the wing on a shorthanded rush to open the scoring!#LegendsInTheMaking | #REGvsMJ pic.twitter.com/R8sr0tWYou
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) March 19, 2023
THE GOALS
First Period
REG 1-0 at 2:48 — Parker Berge (3) assisted by Connor Bedard (SH) // Berge picked up the puck at centre ice and carried it into the Warriors zone in what turned out to be a three-on-one shorthanded rush and he wired it top shelf past Unger to give the Pats an early 1-0 lead.
REG 2-0 at 6:55 — Riley Ginnell (10), assisted by Connor Bedard and Tanner Brown // Bedard carried the puck deep into the Warriors zone, drawing multiple Warriors players to him and pulled Unger out of position, his shot was stopped, but Ginnell was there to put the puck into the open cage to give the Pats a 2-0 lead.
REG 3-0 at 11:46 — Braxton Whitehead (10), assisted by Parker Berge and Ty Plaisier // The Pats carried the puck into the zone and Whitehead let a wrist shot go that eluded Unger low farside past his outstretched glove to give the Pats a 3-0 lead.
MJ 3-1 at 12:31 — Martin Rysavy (11), assisted by Robert Baco and Logan Dowhaniuk // Baco threw the puck to the Pats net and Rysavy was able to get behind the Pats’ defender and tip it past Sim to get the Warriors on the board down 3-1.
Second Period
MJ 3-2 at 3:54 — Tate Schofer (5), unassisted // The puck is worked out to the front of the net by Schofer and it appeared as though a Pats player put it into his own net as the Warriors pulled to within one as 3-2.
REG 4-2 at 9:46 — Connor Bedard (67), assisted by Alexander Suzdalev and Tanner Howe (PP) // The Pats worked the puck around the offensive zone to Bedard at the top of the left-wing circle where he sent a shot or a pass to the front of the net that went in off a defenceman’s skate and in to increase the lead to 4-2.
REG 5-2 at 13:25 — Connor Bedard (68), assisted by Sam Oremba and Tanner Brown // Oremba took the puck deep in the Warriors zone down low behind the net and fed a pass to Bedard who ripped a shot past Unger to extend the Pats lead to 5-2.
MJ 5-3 at 19:53 — Jagger Firkus (37), assisted by Brayden Yager and Denton Mateychuk (4-on-3 PP) // With the Warriors on the powerplay, the puck got to Firkus in the slot and he wired it past Sim to make it 5-3 heading into the second intermission.
Third Period
REG 6-3 at 11:32 — Zack Stringer (5), assisted by Braxton Whitehead and Connor Bedard // Bedard passed the puck to the right wing for Whitehead who put the puck to the front of the net and a diving Stringer chipped it past Unger to increase the lead to 6-3.
REG 7-3 at 16:57 — Connor Bedard (69), assisted by Zack Stringer (EN) // The Pats had the puck deep in the Warriors zone and Bedard chipped the puck toward the empty net and it went in off a Warriors skate and in to extend the lead to 7-3.
STATISTICS
SOG: REG — 8-10-5-23 | MJ – 16-20-12-48
PP: REG — 1/3 | MJ — 1/7
Face-Offs: REG — 27 | MJ — 40
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Drew Sim (48 shots/45 saves)
Moose Jaw: Jackson Unger (22 shots/16 saves)
3 STARS
First: Sim (45 saves) – Pats
Second: Bedard (3G-2A, +4, 8 shots) – Pats
Third: Rysavy (1G) – Warriors
NOTES
- Connor Bedard had a hat-trick and two assists to give him 139 points on the season which lead the WHL. His 69 goals lead the league and 70 assists are tied for first also lead the league. He has 75 points (42G-33A) in 26 games since returning from the World Juniors. Bedard has also scored eight goals and 14 points over his last three games.
- Drew Sim made 45 saves which are his second-most saves (and 48 shots are also the second-most he has faced this season) in a game this season as he picked up his 27th win of the season.
- Riley Ginnell scored for a third straight contest and now has four points (3G-1A) in his last three games and seven points (4G-3A) in his last nine games.
- Tanner Howe had an assist and has 13 points (5G-8A) in his last 10 games.
- Alexander Suzdalev has four points (1G-3A) in his last two games and has 14 points (7G-7A) over his last 12 games.
- Parker Berge scored his first career shorthanded goal and added an assist. It was his first goal in 21 games dating back to January 21st and his third two-point game of the season.
- Carter Herman picked up an assist, which was his second career point and first in 17 games.
- Braxton Whitehead scored his 10th of the season which tied his career high and added a pair of assists. He has five points (2G-3A) in his last five contests. He has 19 (8G-11A) of his 24 points since January 1st (spans 28 games).
- Sam Oremba had an assist and has six points (1G-5A) in his last 10 games.
- Zack Stringer scored for the first time in nine games. He has four points (1G-3A) in his last four games.
UP NEXT
The Pats finish off their weekend when they travel to Saskatoon to play the Blades at 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 19th.
