Round Two Hits Queen City
WHL Playoffs Round Two Game Three – Red Deer Rebels at Regina Pats
Brandt Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan (7 p.m.)
620 CKRM, WHL Live Webcast
Regina, Saskatchewan – The Regina Pats (4-3) and Red Deer Rebels (6-1) shift their second round series to the Queen City. Red Deer leads the best-of-seven series 2-0. Game Two was another close affair with the Rebels taking a 4-3 victory. The Pats opened the scoring with a Sam Steel powerplay goal. The Rebels responded with a powerplay marker of their own from Josh Mahura. The teams combined for six goals on the man advantage on Sunday. Cole Sanford and Adam Brooks came up with the Pats tallies while Adam Helewka and Adam Musil got the goals for Red Deer. Musil’s third period marker stood up as the game winner. The only even strength goal went to Michael Spacek in the second frame. Tune in to tonight’s game on 620 CKRM at 6:35 p.m.
“I don’t think we’re out of the series at all,” forward Cole Sanford told the media yesterday. We played two pretty good games (in Red Deer). We didn’t get the results we wanted, but I think we’re still confident and coming back home.”
Adam Brooks, Sam Steel and Sanford continue to run the show for the Pats offensively. All three have points in the first seven games of the WHL Playoffs. Brooks leads the way (and the league) with 18 points (6G, 12A). Steel (5G, 6A) and Sanford (5G, 6A) each have 11 points. The trio has combined to score 16 of the Pats’ 23 goals in the playoffs. The trio makes up three of the four players with seven game point streaks in the playoffs. Moose Jaw’s Brayden point is the only other to register a point in seven straight games.
Even strength goals are at a premium in this second round matchup. Just two of the 12 goals scored in the first two games came with the clubs five-on-five. Red Deer has both of those goals. All five of the Pats goals have come on the powerplay which is 5/12 (41.7%) in the series. Overall, the Blue and White hold the top powerplay in the playoffs with a 31.2% success rate and are tied with the Warriors for the most powerplay goals at ten.
The Pats took full advantage of their home ice in Round One against Lethbridge, winning both games for a 2-0 record in the playoffs. In their two home games against Lethbridge, the Pats allowed just two goals. The Pats powerplay went 25% and penalty kill checked in at 88.9%. Down the stretch, the Pats put together a 10-3-0-1 record in their final 14 regular season home games.
In last year’s second round, the Pats came back home down a similar two games to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Pats Captain Colby Williams says there’s a different feeling in the locker room this time around.
“I think this year is a little different in that we played a better team in the first round. We had a little adversity, lost the first game and stuff like that. This is a bit different and obviously a different team. I have the utmost confidence in our team and (Tyler) Brown is playing unbelievable so we should be confident going into Game Three.”
Tickets are still available for both Games Three and Four and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ca and the Brandt Centre Box Office. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.
