Game Five Goes in Red Deer
WHL Playoffs Round Two Game Five – Regina Pats at Red Deer Rebels
Enmax Centrium, Red Deer, Alberta (7 p.m.)
620 CKRM, Access7 (Channel 7/70), WHL Live Webcast
Red Deer, Alberta – The Regina Pats (6-3) and Red Deer Rebels (6-3) return to Alberta for Game Five of their second round series at the Enmax Centrium (7 p.m.). After four games, the series sits tied at two games apiece with both teams winning their games at home. The Pats evened up the series with a 6-4 win at the Brandt Centre on Wednesday. The Rebels opened the scoring for the second night in a row off the stick of Austin Strand. The Pats responded late in the frame with a pair of powerplay goals from Lane Zablocki and Connor Hobbs. The second period saw the Pats blow the game open. Luc Smith made it 3-1 on an even strength goal before Zablocki completed the hat-trick with two more powerplay goals. The Rebels stopped the run with a late goal from Luke Philp. In the third, the comeback was on as Nelson Nogier and Philp pulled Red Deer within just one. Cole Sanford iced the game with an empty netter. Tyler Brown made 44 saves in the win. Tune in to tonight’s game on 620 CKRM at 6:35 p.m.
After a slow start to the playoffs, Lane Zablocki is on a roll in the second round. The rookie forward notched his first career WHL Playoffs hat-trick on Wednesday. All three goals came on the powerplay. Over his last three games, Zablocki has four goals and five points. The Wetaskiwin, AB native posted 37 points (18G, 19A) in the regular season and was named the Pats Rookie of the Year. The 17-year old forward isn’t eligible until the 2017 NHL Draft.
The Pats pair a couple of Washington Capitals prospects on their blue line. Connor Hobbs (2015-5th round) and Colby Williams (2015-6th round) are both riding five game point streaks into tonight’s game. Hobbs sits one point back of the playoffs lead for defencemen with 8 points (3G, 4A) and has powerplay goals in back-to-back games and points in five straight. Williams features seven points (1G, 6A), with all of those coming over a similar five game point streak.
In four games between the Pats and Rebels, the team to score first has lost every game. In games two-four the lead was just 1-0 before the trailing team was able to even things up. In Game One, the Pats saw a two goal lead slip away. Six times in the four games teams have been able to tie games up in the first two periods, but the team who takes the lead in the third period has won every game.
Tonight’s game will be broadcast in a couple of ways. Bennett Dunlop Ford Pats Hockey gets going at 6:35 p.m. on 620 CKRM while Access7 coverage of Game Five begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets for Sunday’s Game Six in Regina are available at Ticketmaster.ca or the Brandt Centre Box Office.
