Pats Can’t Hold On To Big Lead
By Colton Hordichuk – ReginaPats.com
Regina, Saskatchewan – On Friday night, the Regina Pats (14-12-1-0) played their first game at the Brandt Centre in almost four weeks. Their opponents were their division rivals, the Prince Albert Raiders (16-9-2-0).
The Blue and White received an early power play just over 30 seconds into the opening frame. Pats forward Dryden Hunt spotted Connor Gay in the slot, and Gay put home his fourth of the year at 2:14. Boston Leier got a little too aggressive on the forecheck and sat a pair for interference to give the Raiders their first man advantage of the game.
Raiders’ captain Josh Morrisey was given the gate for tripping at 9:07. On the power play, Leier capped off a sweet passing play by Dyston Stevenson and Chandler Stephenson, and the Pats took a 2-0 lead.
Late in the stanza, Hunt’s shot from the high slot fooled Raiders goaltender Nick McBride. Hunt’s goal chased McBride and Cole Cheveldave took over between the pipes. The Blue and White continued to find the back of the net despite the goaltending change. Leier tallied his second of the game with 1:32 to go in the first.
Pats goaltender Dawson MacAuley was outstanding in the period stopping 14 shots.
In the early stages of the second, MacAuley continued to shine. The Pats’ netminder rejected six shots. Gay came back the other way and potted his second of the game from Stephenson and Braden Christoffer at 5:18.
The Raiders eventually went on the man advantage and Josh Morrisey’s shot made an awkward bounce off the back boards and somehow found its way into the back of the net. Following the television timeout, Gage Quinney walked out of the corner and backhanded the puck top shelf on MacAuley.
As the period wound down, Stevenson faked a slap shot and deked his way in for his 14th of the season.
The Pats led 6-2 at the end of 40 minutes.
At 9:11 of the final stanza, Tim Vanstone tallied the visitors’ third goal of the night. Vanstone’s goal was assisted by Morrisey and Carson Perreaux. Conroy notched a power play marker with just under 10 minutes to go in the game. The Raiders rolled from there. They scored two goals in 15 seconds. The first was Vanstone’s second of the game, and the second was scored by Leon Draisaitl. Pats head coach Malcolm Cameron immediately called a timeout to calm the troops.
The Pats held off the Raiders’ third period attack and the hockey game went into overtime tied, 6-6.
Pats defenseman Jesse Zgraggen was called for hooking 30 seconds into the extra frame. Draisaitl completed the comeback for the visitors by scoring the game winner at 1:37 of overtime.
“We let the foot off the gas. We [had] a 4-0 lead and I think we had too many guys that just coasted through the game,” Cameron said post-game.
“They beat us every game so far this year, and despite all of those warnings and trying to change match ups, switching the lines around, we just couldn’t get the engines going again.”
The Blue and White are back in action tomorrow night against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Despite not having an ice time in between contests, Cameron said the team plans to watch the breakdowns and focus on why they allowed so many goals against the Raiders.
Three Stars
1. Leon Draisaitl – 2G, 1A, GWG
2. Tim Vanstone – 2G
3. Connor Gay – 2G, 1A
Next Game: vs. Moose Jaw – Saturday, November 30th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)
Next Home: vs. Moose Jaw – Saturday, November 30th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)
