Descheneau’s Hat Trick Stalls Pats

First Period
With scoring threats like Morgan Klimchuk and Chandler Stephenson on one side of the ice, then Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau at the other offence could easy to come by in this contest.  In the opening frame, however, the goaltenders had something to say about that.  Dawson MacAuley for the Pats and Wyatt Hoflin for the Ice both posted clean periods with MacAuley stopping eleven shots and Hoflin making six saves.  Both had to be sharp as the top scoring lines for each team had some great scoring opportunities.

Second Period
The Kootenay Ice would finally break through the scoreless deadlock nearly midway through the second period.  Sam Reinhart got fancy when he flipped the puck to himself then deked around MacAuley, but couldn’t beat a sprawling defenceman.  With the puck loose in the crease, Jaedon Descheneau found it and lifted the puck over the pile of bodies in front for the opening goal.  Late in the period, Descheneau struck again when Reinhart found him alone in the slot on the powerplay.  Descheneau’s one timer beat MacAuley cleanly as the Pats netminder lunged to attempt the save.  Wyatt Hoflin continued to stymie Pats scorers as the Ice goaltender held the door shut for a 2-0 Ice lead after forty minutes.

Third Period
The Pats needed a big offensive period to get even with the Ice, but continued to be stonewalled by Hoflin.  With three chances on the powerplay in the final period, the Blue and White couldn’t muster the goals to get back in the game.  They would find offense down a man instead.  With time growing short, Morgan Klimchuk and Chandler Stephenson raced up the ice forcing a 2-on-1.  Klimchuk shot the puck off Hoflin’s far pad and the rebound went straight to Stephenson’s stick to break up the shutout bid and continue both players’ point streaks.  The Pats emptied their net for the extra attacker late, but Descheneau grabbed the puck and lifted it down the ice into the Pats goal for the hat-trick and a final score of 3-1 in favour of the Ice.

Next Game: at Swift Current – Friday, October 4^th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)

Next Home Game: vs. Saskatoon – Sunday, October 6^th – 6:00 p.m. (CKRM)