Pats Tame Tigers

The Regina Pats broke out in a big way last night in WHL action against the Medicine Hat Tigers by the score of 7-4 in front of a small and somber crowd of 3626. The Pats were able to take it to the Tigers for most of the night beating them to loose pucks out battling them in the broads and in the corners. They also hit everything that moved as the Tigers were getting plaster every time they touched the puck.


Coming into this one you knew it could be a wild one as both teams have a ton of fire power. The Tigers lead the league in scoring this season they have put some big numbers but so have the Pats.


The Pats never did give up the lead once they got it on the two Matt Strueby goals that came just 1:11 apart both on the power play as Strueby was set up in his office the front of the net as he got his 9 and 10 goal of the season in just 15 games. This was his first game back after missing the last three due to a concussion.


But the two goal lead was short lived as Taylor Gal and Wacey Hamilton scored 2:20 apart to tie it up at two after the first 20 minutes.


Cody Carlson of the Pats got the lead back for the good guys early in the second it must have been sweet justice for Carlson scoring his first goal as a Pat against his former team in the first of four meetings between the two clubs.


But once again the Tigers tied it up on a 5 on 3 power play. The 5 on 3 power play was due to a scrum that happened in the Pats end with the Pats getting the worst of it picking up eight penalty minutes to the Tigers four.


But only nine seconds later Brett Leffler scored short handed whose long wrist that fooled goalie Tyler Bunz . The second would end with the Pats on top 4-3.


But for the third time the Tigers just keep coming with Linden Vey scoring his second of the game just 27 seconds into the final frame.


But the Pats would not be denied tonight as Eberle set up Leffler for his second of the game to take the lead 5-4 and the Pats never look back.As Eberle scored adding the insurance marker. Finally Garrett Mitchell's hard hard work paid off for him as he picked up the Pats seventh goal of the night and believe or not his first of the season.


Game over Pats win 7-4 to up their record to 7-9-2 the lose drops the Tigers to 9-8-2-2.


A few more things that really stood out to me was the play of Pats goalie Damien Ketlo as he had a couple of game saving stops in the second including a clear cut breakaway by Tiger forward Matt MacKay. Just prior to that Ketlo kicked out a point blank shot by Joey Frazer only to have the rebound go to Kale Kessy with a wide open net but Ketlo took that away with a lunging glove save.


Jordan Weal had any other big night for the home team picking up four assists. Weal in his second season for the Pats is some thing special and a sure fire 1st round draft pick in the NHL Draft.


The Pats play game two of the five game home stand on Friday when they take on the 7th ranked team in the CHL the Saskatoon Blades.
Talk to ya later.