RECAP: Pyne makes 35 saves and Whitehead scores twice in road victory

RECAP: Pyne makes 35 saves and Whitehead scores twice in road victory

Swift Current, Sask. – The Regina Pats got back in the win column on Friday at the InnovationPlex, defeating the Swift Current Broncos 4-1.

Kelton Pyne made 35 saves for his 12th win of the season, while Braxton Whitehead (2G), Reese Hamilton (1G-1A), and John Babcock (1G-1A) provided the scoring. Zachary Lansard returned to the lineup and picked up a pair of helpers, while Ephram McNutt three assists.

Hunter Mayo scored Swift Current’s only goal, which opened the scoring in the first period. The Pats led 2-1 after one and two periods of play thanks to back-to-back power play goals from Whitehead and Hamilton late in the opening frame.

---

FINAL SCORE: Pats 4, Broncos 1

THE GOALS

First Period

1-0: Broncos at 14:51 – Hunter Mayo (15), assisted by Marek Rocak // Mayo received a pass at the left point and he skated into the circle, got around the Pats defender and fired a shot past Pyne to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.

1-1: Pats at 15:42 – Braxton Whitehead (6), assisted by Ephram McNutt & John Babcock (PP) // McNutt’s shot from the point was stopped by Dyck but the puck got loose. Whitehead got a piece, and tucked it under Dyck to even the game up at 1-1.

Second Period

2-1: Pats at 17:54 – Reese Hamilton (4), assisted by Ephram McNutt & Zachary Lansard (PP) // The Pats worked the puck around the top of the Broncos zone where McNutt found Hamilton at the mid point. He let a shot go and it beat Dyck high to his glove side to give the Pats the lead at 2-1.

Third Period

3-1: Pats at 10:55 – Braxton Whitehead (7), assisted by Ephram McNutt & Reese Hamilton // McNutt fired a stretch pass to the Broncos blueline to Whitehead. He broke in and was able to fight off a Broncos defender and put away his second of the season to give the Pats a 3-1 lead.

4-1: Pats at 14:22 – John Babcock (2), assisted by Zach Moore & Zachary Lansard // The puck popped out to a pinching Babcock and he fired a shot over Dyck’s shoulder from below the left circle to give the Pats a 4-1 lead.

---

THE STATISTICS

SOG: Regina – 19-5-8–32 | Swift Current – 14-10-12–36

PP: Regina – 2/4 | Swift Current – 0/2

---

THE GOALTENDING BATTLE

Regina: Kelton Pyne (35 saves / 36 shots)

Swift Current: Reid Dyck (28 saves / 32 shots)

---

THE 3 STARS

First: Braxton Whitehead (2G) – Pats

Second: Ephram McNutt (3A) – Pats

Third: Reese Hamilton (1G-1A) – Pats

---

JUST NOTES

• Braxton Whitehead ended an 18 game goalless streak with two goals. It was his fourth career multi-goal game.
• Reese Hamilton scored his fourth goal of the season, and third with the Pats. He added an assist for a two point night.
• Ephram McNutt notched a career-high three assists.
• John Babcock scored his second of the season, ending a 21 game drought. He also had an assist for a two-point outing.
• Zachary Lansard had a pair of assists in his return to the lineup. He has four points (1G-3A) in his last four games.
• The Pats had a season high 19 shots in the first period.
• The Pats scored two powerplay goals in a game for the first time since November 22 against the Broncos, a span of 33 games.
• The win ended a nine game road losing streak, and a six game skid overall.
• The season series is now 2-2-0-0.
• Regina improved to 15-34-5-2 while the Broncos dropped to 28-24-1-1.