The Regina Pats returned home after an overtime loss in Swift Current on Friday to take on the Kootenay Ice at the Brandt Centre. Saturdays game was a rematch from last Friday when the Ice downed the Pats 2-1 on the back of netminder Mackenzie Skapski. The Pats picked up a single point against the Broncos Friday night and came in 8 points back of Saskatoon for 8th in the Eastern Conference. The Pats were looking to snap a 6 game losing skid and even the season series with Kootenay at 2. The Ice forwards Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau were riding 12 game point streaks coming in with 20 and 19 points respectively in that stretch. The Pats gave Matt Hewitt his 5th straight start in goal looking for his 12th win of the season. The Pats scratches Saturday were Colton Jobke, Adam Brooks, Carson Samoridny, Dryden Hunt and Darian Henry.
In the first period the Ice were the better team early as they caused a lot of problems for the Pats in the defensive zone. Kootenay would open the scoring 4:33 in as Jon Martin took a pass at the side of the net and finished top shelf for his 6th of the year from Austin Vetterl and Sam Reinhart and it was 1-0 Ice. Reinhart extending his point streak to 13 games with the assist. The Pats would start to get their feet under them after that and got their forcheck going. They would tie it up on an offensive zone faceoff as Chandler Stephenson won it back to Luke Fenske who then shot on goal and it was tipped in front by Lane Scheidl who beat Mackenzie Skapski for his 24th of the year at 14:46 and it was 1-1. Scheidl snapped a 5 game goalless streak with the first period marker. Right after the goal the Pats took two straight minors for boarding but the Pats were able to kill them off with Matt Hewitt making some nice saves as well as some help from the post and the period ended tied at 1's. The Ice outshot the Pats 15-12 in the opening frame.
In the second the Pats and Ice went back and forth for the entire period with the Pats getting two chances on the powerplay and the Ice got three. The Pats went oh for 2 with the man advantage while they killed Kootenays first chance. On their second the Pats took another penalty 30 seconds in and went down 5 on 3 and it was then that the Ice took the lead. Sam Reinhart took a nice cross crease pass from Luke Philp and finished up high for his 25th of the year at 16:05 from Philp and Joey Leach and it was 2-1. The Ice kept coming with 1:30 remaining in their third powerplay and if it wasn't for two beautiful saves from Matt Hewitt the game lead would have been extended. The second would end 2-1 with the Ice outshooting the Pats 12-7 in the frame and 27-19 overall.
In the third the Pats couldn't get much going in an attempt to tie the game. Regina had three powerplays in the frame and didn't get much going on any of them. The Ice had a powerplay of their own which the Pats killed off. The Pats third powerplay came with just over two minutes left in the game and they would pull the goalie but a turnover in the offensive zone saw Levi Cable skate up the right wing and finish into the open net for his 6th of the year from Jagger Dirk at 19:04 and the score was 3-1 and that would be the final. The Pats were outshot 11-4 in the third and 38-23 overall in the game.
The Pats powerplay went oh for 5 in the contest and in the two games over the weekend 1 for 14 and that has been the difference. Netminder Matt Hewitt was stellar in this one making 35 saves on 37 shots but his team only managed one goal and they dropped their record to 18-27-3-2 on the season. Penalties were momentum killers for the Blue and White as it seemed like every time they would start to push a penalty would be called against them and the ice would be tilted in Kootenays favour.
The third star of the game went to Kootenay defenseman Joey Leach who was fantastic in his own end. The second star when to the Pats goalie in Matt Hewitt with 35 saves in the loss and the first star went to Kootenays Sam Reinhart who extended his point streak to 13 games with a goal and an assist. He had 12 goals and 10 assists in that stretch.
The Pats are back in action on Wednesday at the Brandt Centre with the Moose Jaw Warriors in town. 7 o'clock puck drop on 620 CKRM.
4 comments:
Well after tonites game & watching this chip n chase all season long its just a matter of time before MJ & BRN pass us & we are competing for a top 3 pick...but hey at least we still have our 1st rd pick so we can draft another top prospect & ruin him with this dreadful chip n chase game which limits skilled players from using there skill.
I know Conacher's skill level was slim when he played in the NHL but for the love of god this chip n chase style is getting so boring to watch on a nightly basis. Chip n Chase style does not develop skill or creativity, i feel extremely sorry for Stephenson & Klimchuk these kids have skill bleeding from there vains & they cant even use it cuz of this chip n chase Conacher wants to play.
The Pats are way to happy playing along the boards, we dont take pucks towards the net & create our own chances. Its the same night in & night out, so u know its not the players its how they are coached.
I hope Conacher & Dixon watched the 3man break out on the PP by the Ice tonight on the proper way to gain the zone on the PP....were more happy to have 3 players standing still at the blueline & then dumping it in with no support to get it back.
0 wins in 7 tries get used to it cuz this is how its going to be for the rest of the season as everyone is in playoff style hockey but we are still learning how to adapt & that falls fully onto the coaching staff.
Phil, when are you going to post the other comments sent to you from Sat night's ending of game?
Ray
The Pats played the same systems last year and Weal had 116 points...
thats cuz Weal didnt chip it in & chase it he carried it & he is a true elite talent
plus last year with the defense we had we would actually get turnovers at the red line & create offense that way. Phil as much as i respect ur opinions, comparing the 2 teams doesnt fly.... i believe we have a deeper team this year but last year we had 1 true elite talent. Weal at least threw pucks on net as he wasnt big enough to stay along the boards, this year with a bigger team we want a never ending cycle game & dont force the puck towards the net like other teams do.
Klimchuk is still a year away from becoming that true talent but this chip n chase doesnt help fast track his skill level.
This is a very frustrating time for the Pats & the fans who have stuck by them all season with all the injuries & such...but now that everyone is back (minus another injury to Jobke) there isnt enough things done right, we are too predictable of a team....if u watch the other teams Dmen there is always 1 slightly behind the other on the weakside cuz they know the pats wont carry the puck over the line 90% of the time its chipped in & were rarely the 1st 1s on the puck.
scott
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