CHILLIWACK, B.C. -- It’s safe to say the Regina Pat Canadians are on a bit of a roll at the Telus Cup male U18 AAA national hockey championship.
Especially standout forward Maddox Schultz.
The recently turned 15-year-old recorded his second hat trick in three games as the Pat Canadians went on to a 6-2 victory over the Central champion Elgin Middlesex Canucks on Wednesday afternoon in Chilliwack.
Schultz -- projected to be the first-overall pick in the 2025 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft -- also had an assist and now has six goals and nine points to lead all scorers at the tournament.
Schultz got things started against the Canucks with the first goal of the game with 7:54 remaining of the first period and extended the edge to 2-0 on Regina’s third power play of the game with 6:19 gone in the second.
Regina really started rolling from there, as 37 seconds after Schultz’s second marker Jonah Sivertson made it a three goal lead, and Sivertson then added his second of the game with 9:02 to play in the period.
Reid Bechard then made it a 4-0 contest 1:25 later, and Regina looked to have things well in hand.
Josh Myatt got one back for the Canucks with 6:24 to play in the second and Lucas Van Steensel got Elgin Middlesex back to within a pair with 7:18 gone in the third, but that’s as close as they’d get.
Schultz then finished off his hat trick, scoring his second power play goal of the game with 8:57 gone in the third.
Eli Johnson had a stellar game of his own with four assists, while Sivertson finished with three points.
Adam Muntain made his first appearance of the championship in goal for the Pat Canadians and turned aside 30 shots to earn the win. Brock Lane had 33 saves for Elgin Middlesex.
The win all but locks down a playoff spot for Regina, as they take on the Pacific champion Okanagan Rockets at 12 p.m. Thursday and Quebec champion Chevaliers de Levis at 12 p.m. Friday in their final two round robin games.
The top four teams after the preliminary round advance to the semifinals at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by the bronze medal game at 12 p.m. and gold medal game at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
