nivek_wahs
12-31-2007, 09:32 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=14562be0-1dde-4258-b1bf-8cbae42797a9
Blades humble the Pats
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Monday, December 31, 2007
The Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades are messing with the laws of hockey -- and nature.
The WHL food chain was thrown out of whack during a first vs. worst matchup on a weekend which saw Regina steal a 3-2 shootout victory in Saskatoon, then drop a 2-1 decision the next night at the Brandt Centre.
Saskatoon came in with the worst road record in the WHL. The Pats are among the league's best on home ice, but it didn't translate into a win against the Blades, who've prevailed in three of five head-to-head meetings with Regina this season.
"They've always played us tough," acknowledged Pats interim head coach Terry Perkins. "It's a rivalry just like Moose Jaw that you know you're going to see another team's best. Quite frankly I don't think we were at our best again. In that third period we never allowed a shot. If that same effort is there in the first period ... it's a different game. That's what we need to learn. We need to bring that right from the start instead of waiting to see what's going to happen."
The Pats outshot Saskatoon 8-0 in the third period and 24-16 in the game. Down 2-1, the home team had three straight power plays in the final frame but couldn't beat goaltender Braden Holtby.
"That was the difference in the game," said Perkins, whose team has struggled with the man advantage during the absence of captain Logan Pyett (Canadian world junior team). "Tonight in a 2-1 game if our power play is doing what it should do then we win the game."
Regina's Colten Teubert scored the first goal of the contest, but ex-Pat Derek Hulak replied later in the first period. Walker Wintoneak deflected the eventual game-winner past Linden Rowat at 14:54 of the second period.
The Blades simply hung on from there.
"They play as a team," Teubert said. "They don't have every skilled guy on their team but they all work together and tonight they outworked us."
It was the first career win for Blades assistant coach David Struch, who ran the bench while head coach/GM Lorne Molleken is away scouting the under-17 tournament in London, Ont.
"The guys did a great job, for a young team and a young coach," said Struch, whose team posted just its third road win of the season. "We don't see ourselves as a team at the bottom of the pack. It has been an unfortunate year for us. I couldn't be more proud of those guys, especially after a big effort (in Saturday's shootout loss) and another good one tonight."
The Pats spoiled Struch's head-coaching debut Saturday when Jordan Eberle potted the shootout winner and rookie goaltender Jeff Bosch stopped 34 shots in a drawn-out penalty-filled affair at Credit Union Centre.
The visitors prevailed despite being outshot 36-21, including 31-13 after two periods.
Kirt Hill and Wintoneak traded first-period goals, resulting in a 1-1 draw that lingered until the third period. Justin McCrae gave the Blades a 2-1 lead 2:22 into the final frame, but Teubert tied it up just 2:57 later with the game's fourth power-play goal.
The contest lasted nearly three hours thanks to a parade of 32 minor penalties -- 18 against Regina, 14 against Saskatoon. The Blades were 2-for-16 with the man advantage. The Pats went 2-for-11 but their top-ranked power play didn't generate a windfall of shots against Holtby, who made just 19 saves.
"It was a frustrating game," Hill said. "It didn't seem like we were really playing hockey. It was just a weird game, one of those you see maybe once a year."
The Pats return to home ice Tuesday for a New Year's matinee (2 p.m.) against the Swift Current Broncos.
EXTRAS: Pats C Tim Kraus took a puck in the ear during the second period Sunday and didn't return. Perkins said the ear basically "blew apart" and will require reconstructive surgery ... Eberle has converted all four of his shootout attempts this season, including two game-winners ... Bosch has won both of his shootout games this season, stopping all five attempts ... The Pats dressed D prospect Justin Slobozian, but didn't use him. They remain short-staffed without Pyett, D Alex Pym (Team Western, world under-17s), RW Garrett Mitchell (Team Western), LW Jared Jagow (ankle) and LW Todd Kennedy (suspension) ... The Blades started the game with just 17 skaters, one short of a full lineup. They also lost leading scorer Ondrej Fiala during the first period with an unknown injury ... Saskatoon was already without power forward Colton Gillies (world juniors), D Stefan Elliott (under-17s) and Regina-born enforcer Garrett Klotz (knee injury) ... Both teams were down to 12 skaters after a third-period melee.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
Blades humble the Pats
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Monday, December 31, 2007
The Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades are messing with the laws of hockey -- and nature.
The WHL food chain was thrown out of whack during a first vs. worst matchup on a weekend which saw Regina steal a 3-2 shootout victory in Saskatoon, then drop a 2-1 decision the next night at the Brandt Centre.
Saskatoon came in with the worst road record in the WHL. The Pats are among the league's best on home ice, but it didn't translate into a win against the Blades, who've prevailed in three of five head-to-head meetings with Regina this season.
"They've always played us tough," acknowledged Pats interim head coach Terry Perkins. "It's a rivalry just like Moose Jaw that you know you're going to see another team's best. Quite frankly I don't think we were at our best again. In that third period we never allowed a shot. If that same effort is there in the first period ... it's a different game. That's what we need to learn. We need to bring that right from the start instead of waiting to see what's going to happen."
The Pats outshot Saskatoon 8-0 in the third period and 24-16 in the game. Down 2-1, the home team had three straight power plays in the final frame but couldn't beat goaltender Braden Holtby.
"That was the difference in the game," said Perkins, whose team has struggled with the man advantage during the absence of captain Logan Pyett (Canadian world junior team). "Tonight in a 2-1 game if our power play is doing what it should do then we win the game."
Regina's Colten Teubert scored the first goal of the contest, but ex-Pat Derek Hulak replied later in the first period. Walker Wintoneak deflected the eventual game-winner past Linden Rowat at 14:54 of the second period.
The Blades simply hung on from there.
"They play as a team," Teubert said. "They don't have every skilled guy on their team but they all work together and tonight they outworked us."
It was the first career win for Blades assistant coach David Struch, who ran the bench while head coach/GM Lorne Molleken is away scouting the under-17 tournament in London, Ont.
"The guys did a great job, for a young team and a young coach," said Struch, whose team posted just its third road win of the season. "We don't see ourselves as a team at the bottom of the pack. It has been an unfortunate year for us. I couldn't be more proud of those guys, especially after a big effort (in Saturday's shootout loss) and another good one tonight."
The Pats spoiled Struch's head-coaching debut Saturday when Jordan Eberle potted the shootout winner and rookie goaltender Jeff Bosch stopped 34 shots in a drawn-out penalty-filled affair at Credit Union Centre.
The visitors prevailed despite being outshot 36-21, including 31-13 after two periods.
Kirt Hill and Wintoneak traded first-period goals, resulting in a 1-1 draw that lingered until the third period. Justin McCrae gave the Blades a 2-1 lead 2:22 into the final frame, but Teubert tied it up just 2:57 later with the game's fourth power-play goal.
The contest lasted nearly three hours thanks to a parade of 32 minor penalties -- 18 against Regina, 14 against Saskatoon. The Blades were 2-for-16 with the man advantage. The Pats went 2-for-11 but their top-ranked power play didn't generate a windfall of shots against Holtby, who made just 19 saves.
"It was a frustrating game," Hill said. "It didn't seem like we were really playing hockey. It was just a weird game, one of those you see maybe once a year."
The Pats return to home ice Tuesday for a New Year's matinee (2 p.m.) against the Swift Current Broncos.
EXTRAS: Pats C Tim Kraus took a puck in the ear during the second period Sunday and didn't return. Perkins said the ear basically "blew apart" and will require reconstructive surgery ... Eberle has converted all four of his shootout attempts this season, including two game-winners ... Bosch has won both of his shootout games this season, stopping all five attempts ... The Pats dressed D prospect Justin Slobozian, but didn't use him. They remain short-staffed without Pyett, D Alex Pym (Team Western, world under-17s), RW Garrett Mitchell (Team Western), LW Jared Jagow (ankle) and LW Todd Kennedy (suspension) ... The Blades started the game with just 17 skaters, one short of a full lineup. They also lost leading scorer Ondrej Fiala during the first period with an unknown injury ... Saskatoon was already without power forward Colton Gillies (world juniors), D Stefan Elliott (under-17s) and Regina-born enforcer Garrett Klotz (knee injury) ... Both teams were down to 12 skaters after a third-period melee.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007