Pats Kick-Off Road Trip in Lethbridge
Head-to-Head
The Regina Pats (9-9-0-0) face off with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2-13-1-2) for the first time this season. Last year the teams split their season series, both wining one game at home and one on the road. Dyson Stevenson leads returning Pats with four points (3G, 1A) in three games against Lethbridge. Jamal Watson was the top Hurricane, putting up five points (4G, 1A) in four games against Regina. Coming into tonight’s game, the Pats are back in the win column after a Sunday win over Moose Jaw in their final home game before this extended road swing. Meanwhile the Hurricanes have dropped six straight games. The first game of the Pats’ road trip can be heard on 620 CKRM starting at 7:35 p.m. CST.
Lead Up: Pats Win Fourth Against Moose Jaw
Dawson MacAuley held the Warriors scoreless until the final twenty seconds of the contest in the Pats’ 3-1 victory over their arch-rivals from Moose Jaw. The Pats got all their scoring in a five minute span in the first period when Boston Leier scored even strength and on the powerplay, followed by Carter Hansen adding a shorthanded goal.
One Quarter Done
Through the first quarter of the season, the Pats hold a 9-9-0-0 record and hold seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Last season, the Pats held a 6-11-1-0 record after the first leg of 2012-13. The Blue and White have scored 49 goals while allowing 59 and are 18.2% on the powerplay with a 69.9% penalty kill.
Molson Cup Three Stars
With the first quarter of the season past, Boston Leier claimed the first leg of the Molson Cup. Leier accumulated 13 points with one first star selection and five second star selections. Dawson MacAuley finished second with ten points in the standings and Chandler Stephenson was the third highest with seven points.
Roster Changes
The Pats roster went through multiple changes this past week. The Blue and White acquired 20-year old defenceman Jesse Zgraggen from the Calgary Hitmen. To accommodate the trade, the Pats released Mac Engel and recalled 16-year old netminder Nicholas Schneider to backup Dawson MacAuley. The Pats also reassigned three 19-year olds to Junior-A (Carson Samoridny, Stephen Hak, Patrick D’Amico)
Who to Watch on Lethbridge
Giorgio Estephan was the fourth overall WHL Bantam selection in 2012. The skilled forward tallied 47 points last year in the AMHL and has six points (3G, 3A) in sixteen games with the Hurricanes this season.
Upcoming Schedule
at Seattle – Saturday, November 9th, 9:00 p.m. CST – ShoWare Center (CKRM)
at Portland – Sunday, November 10th, 7:00 p.m. CST – Moda Center (RM2)
at Everett – Wednesday, November 13th, 9:05 p.m. CST – Comcast Arena (CKRM)