Expect duo to shine

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The Regina Pats believe the recipe for playoff success can be found with the right seasoning.

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J.D. Watt and Tim Kraus add a distinct postseason flavour to Regina's lineup, having won a WHL title in 2006 and a Memorial Cup in 2007 with the Vancouver Giants. The 20-year-old duo will put those ingredients to use on Friday night when the Pats play host to the Swift Current Broncos in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

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"I think it's a big advantage for myself and Tim," offered Watt, who has 55 career playoff games under his belt — more than any other player in the series. "One of the main reasons we won the Memorial Cup last year was because most of us had already been there the year before and we knew what it was like. It's a tough, tough grind (in the playoffs). Every game counts, every shift counts. We're lucky to have that experience."

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The Pats acquired Watt on New Year's Day from the Red Deer Rebels, who had picked him up in the offseason from Vancouver. The Giants sent Kraus to Regina on Sept. 27, at which point he immediately took over as the Pats' No. 1 centre.

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The California product finished as Regina's second-leading scorer during the regular season — 61 points in 66 games — but it's the playoffs where he's really expected to shine.

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"The season is long, it's a drag, but everyone is excited about this time of year, especially the guys who were brought in for this playoff run," said Kraus, one of seven players acquired by GM Brent Parker this season. "Brent built us for these playoffs. We're excited to show he made the right moves. I know the coaches are probably going to be looking to me and J.D. to talk to the guys and share our experiences and things we learned in the past. Right now, the way me and J.D. conduct ourselves is going to be huge."

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Kraus believes the Pats are on the right track, but he's also convinced the team's focus and sense of urgency must reach another level.

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"Through the season we had ups and downs and we're not going to be able to afford to have those in the playoffs," said Kraus, who has played 48 career postseason games. "If you have two bad games it could be costly. There's lots of video (available on each club) so teams know what you're doing. The biggest thing is making adjustments on the roll."

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Kraus and Watt are preparing for an adjustment of their own. Both played key supporting roles in Vancouver, but they weren't expected to be the main leaders.

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"We had a lot of scorers on those teams and I could just focus on going out there and banging and not really worry about scoring goals," said Watt, who still potted a team-high 34 goals last season. "Being a 20-year-old in this league, I think I'm going to be looked on to produce a little more and still be that physical guy. It's going to be different in that aspect but I'm looking forward to it."

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The Pats enter Friday's game with a roster that boasts 282 games of playoff experience compared to 162 for Swift Current. Both teams have several players who were part of last year's first-round series, which Regina won in six games.

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