Klimchuk Nets Three in Pats Win Over Blades

First Period
The Pats final meeting with the Blades opened with the Queen City Bunch putting together three scoring chances.  Dyson Stevenson got things going with a close opportunity before Carter Hansen stole the puck and just fired it over the top of the net.  The Pats’ best chance came with the fourth line on the ice.  Maximilian Kammerer snapped a shot from the face-off circle that beat Troy Trombley, but rung off the inside of the post and away from the Blades net.  Regina dominated the play in the first ten minutes, but the second half of the frame saw Saskatoon even out the play considerably.  The score remained stuck at zero with Dawson MacAuley stopping 10 and Trombley turning away 17.

Second Period
It didn’t take long in the second frame for special teams to factor in on the scoreboard.  The Blades went to the first powerplay for either team in the game, but it was the Pats finding the back of the net.  MacAuley set the puck for Colby Williams who sent it around the boards to Morgan Klimchuk who read the play and carried into the Blades’ end.  The Calgary Flames prospect used the defenceman as a screen then beat Trombley for the shorthanded goal.  The Blades’ best chance of the frame came off a quick feed in front forcing MacAuley to slap his pad down to turn away a point blank shot from Brett Stovin at the top of the crease.  The Pats added some insurance on a 3-on-2 rush as Klimchuk’s pass ahead for Chandler Stephenson didn’t go to his linemate, but slid through the five hold of Trombley for Klimchuk’s second of the night and a 2-0 Pats lead.

Third Period
The Blades didn’t waste any time working on their comeback as with just 24 seconds gone in the final frame, Ayrton Nikkel jammed in a rebound.  Rookie Nikita Scherbak created the goal using a burst of speed to get around the Pats defence and drive the net.  The home side drew even when Chase Clayton made a great move to get around Morgan Klimchuk and create a 1-on-1.  Clayton snapped a wrist shot to the far side of the goal that beat MacAuley for the tying marker.  The score remained tied until the late stages of the period, just when it looked like the Pats and Blades were headed for overtime.  Dmitry Sinitsyn wheeled around the Blades’ end, curled out in front of the net and put the puck on the stick of Logan McVeigh who tipped it by Trombley to give Regina the late lead.  Saskatoon emptied their net, but it would prove fruitless as Klimchuk completed his third hat-trick of the season by hitting the open cage to ice the game at a 4-2 count.

Next Game: vs. Victoria – Friday, February 21^st – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)

Next Home Game: vs. Victoria – Friday, February 21^st – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)