WHL outdoor experience the start of something special for Chandler Stephenson

 

Over the course of his career in the Western Hockey League and National Hockey League, former Regina Pats forward Chandler Stephenson has had a habit of placing himself on notable lists where the select few exist.

As one of the handful of players to be taken in the top five picks of the WHL Bantam Draft, Stephenson lived up to the hype as a constant in the Pats lineup for four seasons from 2010 until 2014.

Chosen in the third-round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals, Stephenson worked his way from the Pats to the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears and onto the Capitals, remaining a constant in the team’s depth chart while others moved in and out of the organization. In 2018, he added his name to another select list, contributing to the Capitals’ first Stanley Cup victory in franchise history.

However, Stephenson belongs to one of the most exclusive lists in WHL history, which only includes his name and that of former Spokane Chief Brenden Kichton: players to score a game-winning goal in a WHL outdoor game.

“It was a surreal feeling; just the cherry on top for what the whole day was,” Stephenson said of the moment back in February 2011. “It was pretty special.”

No one on the Pats would have minded if Stephenson hadn’t scored in that game. After all, the list of players to not score in a WHL outdoor game is a short one as well.

However, the 16-year-old showed he had a penchant for big moments when he took the pass from Dyson Stevenson and roofed the puck past the Calgary Hitmen goaltender for the deciding goal in the final minute of regulation.

“It was exciting,” Stephenson said of the game. “It was my first outdoor game that I ever played.

“There was a lot of fans and just to be outside and to play a real game other than just with your friends on the outdoor rink it was a pretty cool experience.”

For being outdoors in late February in Calgary, the conditions weren’t too harsh either as Stephenson remembers them.

“They had little heaters in the bench,” Stephenson added. “You’re [in] full gear and sweating out there so the cold wasn’t too much of a factor. When you first went out for warmups, it was pretty cold just stepping out into the cold, but once you got going shift-by-shift you warmed up.”

Officially, the goal was the sixth of his young WHL career and was part of a 19-point campaign that saw him score the most points as a rookie in a Pats’ uniform that season. With experience came confidence for Stephenson, who posted back-to-back seasons above the 40-point threshold before erupting for 89 points (30G-59A) in 69 games during the 2013-14 WHL Regular Season.

Chandler Stephenson with a beauty with under a minute left… What a goal… 3-2 Pats!

— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) February 21, 2011

Part of what helped was the core members of the Pats, including himself, stuck with the club until Stephenson moved onto the professional hockey ranks in the spring of 2014.

“A lot of guys that I started there with were there until the end, so it was nice to have that familiarity with those guys,” Stephenson said.

Of course, Stephenson has also taken part in another outdoor game, playing with the Capitals in the Stadium Series at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, in Annapolis, Maryland on March 3, 2018.

Though he didn’t score the game-winning goal, he did have the primary assist on the insurance goal that helped close out a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

This coming Sunday will see a third name added to the list of game-winning goals scored in a WHL outdoor game with the WHL Prairie Classic at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Like 2011, the Pats and Hitmen will take to a Canadian Football League stadium, shifting from the home of the Stampeders to the home of the Roughriders.

A battle for two points, the Hitmen will also be eager to gain a measure of revenge on the Pats while Regina will be looking to defend home turf.

Speaking from experience, Stephenson encouraged players to soak in the moment regardless of the result.

“It’s outside and it’s a lot of fun,” Stephenson said. “It’s like going back to your childhood and playing on the outdoor rink.

“Fans are loud, there’s a lot of them, and the whole experience is just a lot of fun.”

Will you be cheering for @WHLPats or @WHLHitmen at the 2019 WHL Prairie Classic? Get your tickets now to show support!

TICKETS 🎟️ | https://t.co/kbQHBnB5HD pic.twitter.com/UbuYa6pvna

— The WHL (@TheWHL) October 23, 2019