Klimchuk Nets Three in Pats Win Over ‘Canes

First Period
The Pats and Hurricanes started out on a physical note when both captains, Kyle Burroughs and Josh Derko dropped the mitts in an early tilt.  Newly acquired defenceman Jesse Zgraggen wasted no time in ingratiating himself with his teammates when he accepted a pass from Chandler Stephenson in the slot and snapped home his first goal as a Pat.  The gloves would drop again with Pats rookie Austin Wagner and ‘Canes rookie Kade Jensen went toe-to-toe.  The Blue and White found themselves on the first penalty kill of the contest, but turned it into offence.  After Kyle Burroughs rimmed the puck to Morgan Klimchuk, the Flames prospect took it to the Lethbridge net and snapped his eighth of the season past Corbin Boes for the Pats sixth shorthanded goal of the year.  Klimchuk wasn’t done yet as he scooped the puck to the back of the goal on a nifty backhand shot to give the Pats a 3-0 lead through one period.  Despite trailing, Corbin Boes was strong in the period, stopping 17 Pats shots including two sensational saves against Pats forward Dryden Hunt.

Second Period
Morgan Klimchuk started off the second period by finishing off the natural hat-trick four minutes into the frame.  With the Pats on the powerplay, Boston Leier won the faceoff to Dmitry Sinitsyn who fed the puck over to Klimchuk in the circle and he wristed home his third goal.  With the goal, Klimchuk registered markers even strength, shorthanded and on the powerplay.  The Hurricanes found their way onto the scoresheet late in the frame.  While on the powerplay, Reid Duke fired from the left face-off circle and the puck banked into the net behind Dawson MacAuley off a Pats defender and the post to bring Lethbridge back within three goals.

Third Period
Midway through the final frame the Pats regained their four goal lead when Connor Gay sent a rebound off the back-boards behind Corbin Boes.  Jesse Zgraggen and Morgan Klimchuk picked up assists on the goal.  Zgraggen’s three point night set a new career high for the 20-year old defenceman in his first game with the Pats.  The Hurricanes would draw one closer in the final stages of the game.  With a two man advantage, Axel Blomqvist measured up Dawson MacAuley in the Pats net and beat him to the far side to set the final score to 5-2 Pats.

Next Game: at Seattle – Saturday, November 9^th – 9:05 p.m. CST (CKRM)

Next Home Game: vs. Prince Albert – Friday, November 29^th – 7:00 (CKRM)