First Half Ends with Pats Loss
By: Colton Hordichuk – ReginaPats.com
Regina, Saskatchewan – The Lethbridge Hurricanes (8-20-3-2) played Grinch at the Brandt Centre, sending the Regina Pats (20-11-2-0) into the holiday break on a losing note, defeating them 5-4 in OT.
Sam Steel got the home crowd on their feet early after he rifled a wrist shot over the left shoulder of Canes goaltender Stuart Skinner. The forward’s goal came on the powerplay. While down a man, the Pats’ Austin Wagner and Adam Brooks dished the biscuit back and forth on a two-on-oh before Wagner capped off the play to put the home team up by a pair. Following the midway point of the first, Canes captain Jamal Watson used his patience to outlast the Pats defence before he centred the puck. Watson’ intended pass went off Pats forward Carter Hansen and into the back of the cage. The Blue and White were unable to head to the intermission with the lead as Tyler Wong cut to the high slot and took advantage of a screened Daniel Wapple to knot things up at two apiece. The shots after 20 minutes were 10-9 in favour of the Canes.
About seven minutes into the second frame, Braden Christoffer and Morgan Klimchuk took part in a give and go below the Canes’ hash marks. Christoffer finished off the pretty passing exhibit to put the Blue and White back ahead. At the halfway mark of the stanza, the two teams played some four-on-four hockey after a pair of offsetting minors were called on the Pats’ Dryden Hunt and the Canes’ Kord Pankewicz. Giorgio Estephan found some open ice and went one-on-one with Wapple. The goaltender opted for the poke check and Estephan read the play and backhanded the puck into the net to tie the game up, 3-3. The Canes edged the Pats in the shot category after two periods, 20-19.
While shorthanded five minutes into the third, Wapple made a sensational right pad save on Watson to keep the game locked at 3-3. With two and a half minutes left in the game, Hansen blindly fired the shot on goal. It made a couple strange bounces and somehow beat Skinner. Jaeger White responded one minute later, though, with a blast from the slot. Extra time was needed as the two squads were even on the scoreboard, 4-4. Shots were 29-26 for the visitors. In the extra frame, Nick Walters let a shot go from the point. It beat a crowd and Wapple to end the contest.
The Blue and White return to action Saturday, December 27th when they travel to Swift Current to take on the Broncos in the first of a back-to-back home-and-home series. Puck drops at 7:00 p.m. Tune in with Home Depot Pats Hockey on 620 CKRM or WHL Live Web TV.
