Sivertson’s three point night helps Regina Pat Canadians to national championship
Nick Nielsen-After a season that started with being sent back down to his AAA team the Regina Pat Canadians, Raiders prospect Jonah Sivertson has ended the season on the highest note possible: a big performance in a national championship game including a point on the overtime winner.
Sivertson‘s Regina Pat Canadians lost just a single game in their Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) playoffs on their way to the provincial championships.
They then went through Western Regionals where they’d beat the Winnipeg Wild, the Kenora Thistles, and the Thunder Bay Kings in their round robin play, and they’d meet the Wild in the final one last time where Sivertson‘s Pat Canadians would win with a dominant 7-1 score. In four games at regionals, Regina outscored their opponents 25-2.
That would take Sivertson to the Telus Cup National Championships in Chilliwack where the Pat C’s again put on dominant performance after dominant performance. For Sivertson, this year turned into one of the most fun he’s ever had.
“I think it’s pretty special. We have a great group of guys here and I think just being together every single day, that pushes us to want it that much more. I couldn’t ask for a better experience and a better group of guys.”
Sivertson was one of the leaders in that great group he described, finishing second in scoring at the Telus Cup with 5G–9A–14P, only behind teammate and projected first overall pick in the upcoming WHL Draft Maddox Schultz.
Through the tournament, the Pat C’s were one of the top two teams before the end of the round robin play. They won 6-1 over the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds to open the tournament, then 3-2 over the Moncton Flyers, 6-2 over the Elgin Middlesex Canucks, 8-1 over the Okanagan Rockets, but their final game of the round robin was where they ran into their stiffest competition.
A tough first period saw the Chevaliers de Levis get ahead 4-0 on Sivertson‘s Pat C’s, and they’d tie the final two periods for a 6-2 loss in the finals preview. That sent things into two playoff rounds where the Pat C’s would again roll over the Elgin Middlesex Canucks 4-1, setting up a rematch with the Chevaliers de Levis in the final.
“Obviously Quebec was a very good team, and we just played well. We had good chances and I guess we were kind of gelling there last game and we put the puck in the net a bit and yeah, it worked out.”
Despite Sivertson‘s modest response, he was pivotal in the final as Regina would win 3-2 in overtime. Sivertson would score the game’s opening goal on the powerplay late in the first period, but Quebec would score twice and take the lead early in the second. Sivertson would pick up an assist on the tying goal late in the second period, and then things would go into overtime after a scoreless third.
In overtime, Sivertson swung the puck to the point for Dane Mansuy who fed it across to Schultz just 28 seconds into overtime, and Schultz would score to give both he and Sivertson three point games, as well as the Telus Cup National Championship.
“I think our locker room is one of the tightest groups I’ve ever been a part of, and I think that just comes with seeing each other every day, hanging out outside of hockey even. We just had a bunch of great leaders on our team which helped us win these championships.”
Not only has Sivertson been close with the team that he was playing on this year, but he’s kept close with the team waiting to welcome him back into the fold next season. Members of the current Prince Albert Raiders kept in regular contact with him throughout this storied run, and some even made their way out to support him directly.
“A couple of the younger 08’s I was talking to throughout the year like Riley Boychuk, Daxon Rudolph, and actually Thomas Mrsic was at one of the games in Chilliwack, so it’s nice for him to come out and watch a game.”
Between the Raiders at the start of the year, the long run with Regina this year, and a one game call up to the Flin Flon Bombers of the SJHL, Sivertson has played a total of 66 games this year. Combined with renewing his confidence in his scoring ability, Sivertson believes the long schedule this year will help prepare him for the WHL next year.
“The WHL is a pretty long season, so yeah, I think it just helps bring experience and knowledge of what the playoff atmosphere is like.”
Sivertson is one of many prospects Raiders fans can be excited to see come into the lineup for next year’s season, but he’ll be the only one that can boast a Telus Cup National Championship to his name.
