SASKATOON (34-12-3-3) at REGINA (23-25-3-3)
Today, 7 p.m., Brandt Centre
Radio: 620 CKRM

Key injuries: REGINA — None to report. SASKATOON — D Teigan Zahn (leg, out for season); LW Curtis Hamilton (collarbone, out for season); LW Curt Gogol (thumb, indefinite).

Overview: Saskatoon hasn't exactly set the league on fire in the New Year. After winning three straight games to open 2010, the Blades have gone 5-5-2. They lost 7-3 to the host Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday to fall out of top spot in the Eastern Conference. They’re one point back of the front-running Brandon Wheat Kings, with three games in hand, and only two points ahead of the fifth-place Medicine Hat Tigers . . . The Pats have a 2-3-0 record against Saskatoon this season. Both wins came via shootout at the Brandt Centre. Following tonight’s game, the teams are slated to meet two more times in the regular season: Feb. 27 and March 10, both in Saskatoon . . . This is the first meeting between the Pats and Blades since the Jan. 10 trade deadline. Saskatoon made a deal with the Prince George Cougars for import C Marek Viedensky (9-27—36, 41 GP), who has five goals and six assists in 10 games since the trade. The Blades also added scrappy RW Sena Acolatse (14-11—25, 49 GP), who has one goal, two assists and 23 penalty minutes in 10 games . . . Captain Derek Hulak, an ex-Pat, is Saskatoon’s leading scorer (23-39—62, 52 GP). Stefan Elliott is among the league’s top-scoring D-men (19-28—47, 52 GP). He’s also tied for second in the WHL with a plus-32 rating. Hulak is +30 . . . Regina has a record of 16-8-1-3 on home ice. Saskatoon is 17-7-0-3 on the road . . . Blades head coach/GM Lorne Molleken has always loved a tough team. His current group has four players with over 100 penalty minutes: RW Randy McNaught (ranked third in the league with 144 PIMs), injured LW Curt Gogol (133), LW Darian Dziurzynski (124) and C Travis Toomey (103). The Pats have two: RW Brett Leffler (113) and D Mitch McColm (106).

Courtesy Greg Harder

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