Leader-Post article (Regina Pats outworked in lopsided loss)

Regina Pats outworked in lopsided loss

By LEADER-POST STAFF, Leader-Post

January 30, 2012

Swift Current Broncos Taylor Vause (19) can't get the puck past Regina Pats goalie Matt Hewitt at the Brandt Centre on Friday January, 27, 2012 in Regina, Sask..

Photograph by: TROY FLEECE, REGINA LEADER-POST

The Regina Pats suffered their most-lopsided loss of the WHL season on Saturday night when they were spanked 8-1 by the Saskatoon Blades in front of 4,897 fans at Credit Union Centre.

The Blades broke open a close game with seven unanswered goals, five of which came in the third period. They led 2-1 after the opening frame and 3-1 following the second.

“They outworked us and it kind of declined from there,” Pats head coach Pat Conacher told the StarPhoenix.

“Not to compete at the level that we had to, especially with what’s on the line here, that’s what I have to talk to the team about. We had to match their urgency and competitiveness to the game and we didn’t do that.”

Josh Nicholls, recently back from a knee injury, paced Saskatoon with two goals and one assist. Brett Stovin and Darren Dietz also had two goals apiece while Lukas Sutter and Jake Trask added singles. Connor Cox, Michael Burns and Dalton Thrower each chipped in with two assists for the Blades, who won for the 10th time in their past 12 games.

Rookie Morgan Klimchuk had Regina’s lone goal. Goaltender Matt Hewitt got the hook early in the third after allowing six goals on 24 shots. Adam Beukeboom stopped seven of nine in relief.

Andrey Makarov picked up the win for the Blades (30-19-0-1), who outshot Regina 33-20. Saskatoon opened up a three-point lead over the seventh-place Pats (26-19-5-1) in the Eastern Conference standings. Regina is now just five points ahead of the Brandon Wheat Kings (25-24-1-2), who hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference.

“It was a huge game points-wise for us,” Dietz told the StarPhoenix. “It was nice to be able to move up the standings there. Any time you can take points from a division rival, it’s more like four.’’

The Blades are the only team in the WHL to score more than six goals in a game against Regina this season — and they’ve done it twice. Saskatoon also prevailed 7-4 on Jan. 15 at the Brandt Centre.

The Pats have lost all four of their games in Saskatoon this season and own a record of 2-5-0 in the season series. The teams’ final meeting is Feb. 13 in Regina.

EXTRAS: With an assist, Pats centre Jordan Weal extended his points streak to 13 games . . . Saskatoon went 1-for-3 on the power play. Regina was 0-for-6 . . . The Pats’ scratches were forward Dryden Hunt, defenceman Kyle Burroughs and forward Nils Moser. Hunt completed his two-game suspension for a check to the head against Moose Jaw last weekend . . . The Pats are slated to visit the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday and the Swift Current Broncos on Friday before returning home Saturday to face the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

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