REGINA — The Regina Pats split their contests on the season opening weekend.
They fell 5-4 Friday, Sept. 23 at home as the Moose Jaw Warriors were able to come from behind. The next night, while being featured as the CHL TV Game of the Week, the Pats beat Moose Jaw, 6-3, on the road. Captain Connor Bedard recorded four points in the win.
After the Warriors held a 3-1 lead early in the second period on Saturday, Sept. 24, the Pats reeled off five unanswered goals en route to a 6-3 victory and their first win of the season. Borya Valis scored the team’s first period marker to cut the Warriors’ lead to 2-1. Defenceman Parker Berge, on his way to a two-point night, got the Pats rolling in the second period with a goal. Bedard then tied the contest and, shorthanded, scored the game winner in the same period. In the third, Easton Armstrong had an insurance goal and Bedard finished off his hat trick.
For Regina, Drew Sim stopped 34 of the 37 shots he faced. The Pats fired 38 shots at Jackson Unger, who made 33 saves.
On Friday in Regina, neither team scored in the first period in front of 4,336 at the Brandt Centre. The Warriors got on the scoreboard first, but the Pats answered with two goals to go up 2-1. Moose Jaw was able to tie it up at 2-2. The Pats would go ahead on goals by Tye Spencer (in the second) and Valis (in the third) but after each scored the Warriors answered. Moose Jaw’s Lynden Lakovic tied the game in the third and Ben Riche provided the game winner.
Starting Thursday, the Pats will play three games in four days. They are in Edmonton on Sept. 29 to play the Oil Kings. On Saturday, the Pats play the Red Deer Rebels. They close out the trip in Calgary on Sunday.
