Memorable Season Ends in Red Deer

Red Deer, Alberta – The Regina Pats (7-5) fell 2-1 in a heartbreaking loss Red Deer Rebels (8-4).  The game seven loss brought the Pats season to an end, falling in the second round series 4-3.

Scoring Summary

First Period
No Scoring

Second Period
Red Deer – Adam Helewka (8) from DeBrusk and Spacek – 14:59
Regina – Adam Brooks (7) from Zablocki and Williams – 19:47

Third Period
Red Deer – Adam Musil (3) from Polei and de Wit – 12:46

Shots on Goal
Regina – 7-11-15-(33)   Red Deer – 12-10-4-(26)

Powerplay
Regina – 0/2   Red Deer – 1/2

Game Story
Game Seven got off to a difficult start for the Pats, facing a Red Deer powerplay just 37 seconds into the game.  The penalty kill held the line, but momentum swung in the favour of the Rebels who led the shots 8-2 after nine minutes.  The Pats battled their way back into the period with the final shots wrapping up 12-7 for Red Deer.  The Blue and White faced down another penalty late in the period, but didn’t allow a shot on goal during the kill.

After the second opened up, the scoring finally came in the final five minutes of the period.  Following a pair of Pats powerplays, Adam Helewka opened the scoring on a Red Deer man-advantage.  Just when it looked like the Rebels would head to the break with a lead, Adam Brooks took a feed from Lane Zablocki in the slot and fired a shot five-hole to tie the game 1-1 with just 12.7 seconds remaining. 

The Pats dominated the third period.  Regina came out flying and peppered the net through the frame, but couldn’t find a goal early on.  The heartbreak came on a bad bounce across the midway point of the period.  A puck bounced under Tyler Brown and the Pats goaltender was run into by a combination of players, freeing the puck up for Adam Musil to tap the puck into an open cage.  The Blue and White continued to attack and threw everything at Rylan Toth in the Red Deer net.  They couldn’t get anything to go and time ran out on their season, falling 2-1 to the Rebels.

Quick Hits
– Tonight was the Pats’ first time playing a seventh game since 2000.
– Colby Williams, Cole Sanford and Aaron Macklin see their WHL careers come to an end.  The Regina Pats wish these fine young men all the best going forward in hockey and life.
– Game attendance was 6,264.