RECAP: Pats Allow Six Unanswered, Fall 9-5 To Moose Jaw
Final Score: Warriors 9, Pats 5
Record: 32-28-3-1 (68 Points)
Seed: 6th – Eastern Conference
Regina, Sask. — Connor Bedard scored his 10th career hat-trick as well as five points but that wasn’t enough as the Regina Pats lost 9-5 to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday inside the Brandt Centre.
The Pats opened the scoring in the opening period but allowed six unanswered Warriors goals, with three of them coming in the first period.
Bedard tallied his 64th, 65th and 66th goals of the season as well as two assists for 134 points on the season. Riley Ginnell scored for a second straight game and Alexander Suzdalev snapped a four game pointless and goalless drought with his 37th of the season, finishing the night with three points (1G-2A). Drew Sim got the start in net but was pulled in the second period after allowing six goals on 14 shots. Kelton Pyne replaced Sim and made 22 saves.
Jagger Firkus led the way for Moose Jaw with four points (3G-1A), while Brayden Yager (3A), Atley Calvert (1G-2A) and Ryder Korczak (1G-2A) finished with multi-point games. Jackson Unger helped the Warriors to their fourth straight win, making 21 saves.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT
🚨 AND ANOTHER ONE 🚨
Connor Bedard opens the scoring with his SIXTY-FOURTH goal of the season!#LegendsInTheMaking | #REGvsMJ pic.twitter.com/Gb45ssBWO0
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) March 18, 2023
THE GOALS
First Period
REG 1-0 at 8:01 — Connor Bedard (64), assisted by Tanner Howe and Alexander Suzdalev // A nice passing play started by Suzdalev as he sent a pass to Howe who cut in from the right wing and sent the puck to Bedard in the slot and he made no mistake to give the Pats a 1-0 lead.
MJ 1-1 at 12:34 — Josh Hoekstra (9), assisted by Robert Baco (SH) // A blocked shot in the Warriors zone led to a two-on-one with Baco and Hoekstra leading the way. Hoekstra fired a shot past Sim to tie the game up at 1-1.
MJ 1-2 at 14:14 — Ryder Korczak (26), assisted by Atley Calvert and Logan Dowhaniuk // Calvert’s shot missed the net high and wide but the rebound off the back boards went to Korczak who deposited it past Sim to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead.
MJ 1-3 at 16:04 — Jagger Firkus (34), unassisted // A turnover by the Pats led to a breakaway by Firkus who went it and despite being hooked was able to put a backhander past Sim to give the Warriors a 3-1 lead.
Second Period
MJ 1-4 at 1:39 — Jagger Firkus (35), assisted by Brayden Yager // A blocked pass led directly to Firkus and Yager breaking in where Firkus’ shot beat Sim to the glove side to extend the Warriors lead to 4-1.
MJ 1-5 at 6:10 — Martin Rysavy (10), unassisted // A Pats defenceman was stripped off the puck and Rysavy broke in alone on Sim and extended the Warriors lead to 5-1.
MJ 1-6 at 12:20 — Atley Calvert (37), assisted by Jagger Firkus and Denton Mateychuk // Just after a Pats penalty expired, the Warriors worked it around the Pats zone and Calvert capitalized with a tap-in goal from the left of Pyne to extend the lead to 6-1.
REG 2-6 at 13:53 — Connor Bedard (65), assisted by Alexander Suzdalev and Stanislav Svozil // Svozil found Suzdalev deep in the Warriors zone where he sent a pass in front to Bedard who put it home to stop the bleeding and get the Pats back to within four at 6-2.
REG 3-6 at 17:26 — Connor Bedard (66), assisted by Zack Stringer and Zackary Shantz // Bedard came off the Pats bench streaked in towards the Warriors goalie and wired a shot past Unger to complete the hat-trick and get the Pats back to within three at 6-3.
MJ 3-7 at 17:47 — Eric Alarie (19), assisted by Ryder Korczak and Atley Calvert // Alarie’s long shot from the circle beat Pyne high to the glove hand to give the Warriors a 7-3 lead.
Third Period
REG 4-7 at 7:15 — Riley Ginnell (9), assisted by Tanner Howe and Connor Bedard // Howe won a battle along the backboards and passed it in front to Ginnell who one-timed it past Unger to make it 7-4.
MJ 4-8 at 13:32 — Logan Dowhaniuk (4), assisted by Brayden Yager and Denton Mateychuk // The Warriors worked the puck around the Pats zone to Dowhaniuk who ripped a slapshot past Pyne to give the Warriors the 8-4 lead.
REG 5-8 at 15:59 — Alexander Suzdalev (37), assisted by Stanislav Svozil and Connor Bedard (PP) // The Pats worked it around on the powerplay until Svozil hit Suzdalev with a pass at his office (right circle) and he one-timed it home to make it 8-5.
MJ 5-9 at 19:40 — Jagger Firkus (36), assisted by Ryder Korczak and Brayde Yager (PP) // Firkus’s long-range slapshot beat Pyne to seal the game 9-5.
STATISTICS
SOG: REG — 7-8-11-26 | MJ – 9-17-14-40
PP: REG — 1/4 | MJ — 1/2
Face-Offs: REG — 39 | MJ — 21
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Drew Sim (14 shots/9 saves in 26:10) and Kelton Pyne (26 shots/22 saves in 33:50)
Moose Jaw: Jackson Unger (26 shots/21 saves)
3 STARS
First: Firkus (3G-1A) – Warriors
Second: Calvert (1G-2A) – Warriors
Third: Bedard (3G-2A) – Pats
NOTES
- Connor Bedard had a hat-trick and two assists to give him 134 points on the season which lead the WHL. His 66 goals and 68 assists also lead the league. He has 70 points (39G-31A) in 25 games since returning from the World Juniors.
- Stanislav Svozil had two assists. He has 39 points (5G-34A) in 24 games since returning from the World Juniors.
- Riley Ginnell scored for a second straight game and now has six points (3G-3A) in his last eight games.
- Tanner Howe had two assists and has 12 points (5G-7A) in his last nine games.
- Alexander Suzdalev ended a four-game pointless streak with a goal and two assists and still has 13 points (7G-6A) over his last 11 games.
- Zackary Shantz picked up his first Pats and WHL career point, an assist.
- It was the third time the Pats have allowed nine goals in a game this season.
- The Pats have dropped five of their last six games.
UP NEXT
The Pats continue their three-game weekend when they travel down the highway to Moose Jaw to visit the Warriors on Saturday, March 18th with a 7:00 pm face-off. They finish off the weekend when they travel to Saskatoon to play the Blades at 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 19th.
