Pats Alberta road trip

[patsdude114]

Well some great news for the Pats and us fans... straight from Phil's blog


3.) Adam Berg will play tonight when the Pats take on the Medicine Hat Tigers. Head Coach John Paddock said last week it wasn't in the cards for him to join the club but that has changed in the last few days and Berg will make his WHL debut tonight.


I truly feel this is great news and hopefully he sticks around for the rest of the year :)

[RWAH]

Don't know what changed, but I'm with you this could be good for the Pats

[Fight Guy]

Saw this last night and was surprised. I'd imagine going from a bottom feeder in junior A to a very promising junior team with highly regaurded coaches, not to mention a pro coach. It's pretty clear what the better choice is for his hockey career.

Definitely an interesting development! Looking forward to tonight's game.

Does this mean Elmer stays down or is he still coming up too??

[chopper]

I can't say what caused this young man to have a change of heart but it's good for the Pats he did. He is an NHL rated prospect who should now be playing Major Junior. If he remains with the Pats it certainly won't hurt his draft prospects that's for sure.

It would also address the need for an extra forward that they are currently operating without. Getting NHL calibre coaching with an up and coming organization will help him immensely. I hope they keep one of these prospects up the rest of the way.

[Bighat]

Probably a guarantee of playing time changed his mind and his agent. Plus everyone on the team is the same age so they'll be together for 2+ yrs.

[patsdude114]

Interesting forward lines tonight for the Regina Pats https://twitter.com/WHLpats/status/555529846332198912/photo/1


Cooper/D'Amico/Cole
Gabrielle/Brooks/Wagner
Christoffer/Steel/Padakin
Berg/Smith/Kroeker

Williams/Hobbs
Harrison/Zborovskiy
Hansen/Mortlock

Wapple

[Fight Guy]

A little surprised Krushen is a scratch. Oh well...Harrison is back at least.

I'm liking these lines. Brooks-Wagner-Gabrielle is going to be fast as hell! That could look good. Seems they put two of the toughest guys with Steel. Weird to say that about Padakin, but he's been one player who's willing to stick up for his teammates at any time.

Nice to see some completely different lines. Anxious to see them roll!

[RWAH]

first period over If we can stay out of the box look to be playing with the Tigers

[patsdude114]

That was a very enjoyable game to watch tonight on webcast and I liked how Berg's game all game long I thought he showed good speed and his desire to finish checks. That entire 4th line had a great game and I also agree with Paddock that was Smith's best game of the year he was controlling pucks down low with his size and using his size to get into good shooting lanes, he keeps this up he will be scoring his 1st career goal very soon

[booboo]

Sounds like a keeper if he's still looking for his first goal.:groovy: good on the Pats for beating one of the top teams last night. I am certainly a Paddock fan.

[brandonboy]

Yep Regina definitely has two extremely important pieces that can equal to some damage in the playoffs. The coaching and goaltending are outstanding. As a Brandon fan this team scares me as we have at best a sub part goalie and back up. And really bad coaching.

[WesternHockeyScout]

Yep Regina definitely has two extremely important pieces that can equal to some damage in the playoffs. The coaching and goaltending are outstanding. As a Brandon fan this team scares me as we have at best a sub part goalie and back up. And really bad coaching.They also have enviable offensive depth. Only 2 teams in the entire WHL have 8 forwards with 27 points or more. Brandon & Regina. Both teams have 3 lines that can hurt you.

Defensively, also a lot to love about Regina. Most defensemen insanely positive on the +/-. One guy at -1 and one at -3. The Wheat Kings also have only 2 guys under water, with one at -2 and one at -7.

Be interesting to see John Paddock's team in March. No one expected the success he achieved with the group he had in September, but after some growing pains they were pretty good. It'll be interesting to see if he can repeat the feat with a younger group. Looks like he does have all the pieces he needs. Just needs time now.

[sbtatter]

I really like paddock from the jets days so glad he's having some success! Awesome to see the Pats help the wheaties last night!

[Fight Guy]

If the Pats continue that, they'll do just fine maintaining second in the division.

I now see what the fuss about Berg is. He would look great on this Pats team. Really liked that he was physical and he seems quite smart. Good at getting open and into position. Definitely another player who fits in well. That whole line played great. Also agree Smith was great tonight. I thought all the new lines looked real good.

Wagner's shortie... Did he just come off the bench or was he actually playing 'Sherback' on the Tigers blue line on the PK?!?! Either way, it worked! I also liked after the Kroeker penalty shot, you knew immediately he was told to go top right. The Cooper and Gabrielle goals exposed Langhamer.

Can't wait to see how the new lines look against Edmonton and Calgary.

[Fight Guy]

Also, looking at Berg's AJHL schedule, I wonder if he only plays against Edmonton this weekend so he can play with his the Mustangs Sat/Sun?? Then having Elmer up for Red Deer/Calgary??

[patsdude114]

Wagner's shortie... Did he just come off the bench or was he actually playing 'Sherback' on the Tigers blue line on the PK?!?!


You know I was wondering the exact same thing as to how Wagner got so far in behind the Tigers defense as we just got the puck and I think it was Brooks who flipped it out to center and lone and behold Wagner was there to catch it

[Bighat]

I would think berg is here now for good. I don't think he would give up his college eligibility for 2 games.

[patsdude114]

I would think berg is here now for good. I don't think he would give up his college eligibility for 2 games.

his NCAA chances were gone as soon as he signed the WHL Standard Agreement contract awhile ago.

Also Phil pointed out to me on his blog that Berg can only play 10 games with us until his AJHL team is done due to him not being with the team on the cut off date of Jan. 10

[Bighat]

That sux.

[chopper]

Berg could be kept around for 10 games evidently. Then back to the Calgary Mustangs until Feb 28 when their season ends. They won't be in the playoffs. He could return here for the remaining 10 games and playoffs. Lost to us for the month of Feb (14 games)

[patsdude114]

From tha article in the LP today Berg is going to play all games this weekend and then he leaves for the CJHL event (I believe I got the name right correct me if I'm wrong) it won't surprise me if he is back with us sooner to fill in the remainder of his 10 game availability. I'm not sure on the guidelines on the roster rules with an AP but are they allowed to have an AP player up and have him a scratch so it doesn't count against the 10 games played. If that's the case it wouldn't surprise me if Paddock using the rules to Berg's advantage. Having him compete in practices and playing the odd game here and there until the AJHL season is done is Prob still better ten playing on a seller sweeper team like the Mustangs.

I really see Berg being a big part of our team for the remainder of this season (after AJHL season is over) and into the next few years. I've always been high in Berg ever since I saw him in his first summer camp.

[patsdude114]

Very tough loss tonight in EDM, thing is its not like EDM dominated the play by any means the difference in this game was just our turnovers ended up in the back of our net and then the final straw for us was when EDM scored 2 PP goals on Christoffer's 2 penalties on the same play shift.

Hobbs tonight I thought looked like your normal 17yr old, he struggled a lot and had a few very key turnovers. Its going to happen he is logging lots of ice and like I said he is still only 17 mistakes are going to happen, just like they happen with Zborovskiy. I thought Berg was 1 of our best players tonight shift in and shift out, along with Brooks and Wagner.

The Oil Kings definitely have our number this year winning all 3 meetings if I recall correctly without checking. Kiind of a flash back to the final year of Weal when the Pats won all 4 meetings against the Oil Kings despite them being the much better team standing wise.

But time to move and on look ahead to tomorrow night in Red Deer, another game against a former Regina Pats player in Connor Gay.... I for one am looking forward to seeing him in his new colors.

[chopper]

We won the 1st game against Edmonton so we're 1-2 but we've been badly outscored. Knives cut both ways and if you can hand out a licking, you better be prepared to take one. There were a lot of similarities to last game they played in Regina.

Firstly if we don't correct our putrid PP, it's going to kill us down the stretch. It was real bad before the trades, so we can't blame youth for that. Total lack of effort tonight. Paddock said most players were bad and that he had only about 3 players going.

With a rookie defence Edmonton simply owned the slot in our end. We couldn't or wouldn't move them. In their end once again there was a lack of desire to go to the greasy areas. You can blame youth for things, but poor work ethic and desire shouldn't be there.

The one thing I worried about was leadership and I think it shows. Because your talented doesn't make you a leader. Handing a guy the "C" doesn't make him a leader. You need leaders when your on the road and that's just a part of Junior hockey.

They need to start playing with some pride and heart. As bad as they were tonight, tomorrow they need to come to the rink like grizzly bears with sore di#n#s. They won't beat RD without putting on their boots and bringing the lunch bucket.

[D cherry]

It was a tough loss. The leadership wasn't there from some of the vets . Willians needs to step up every night .Christoffer tried to get the boys fired up no followers .yes your right: put on their hardhats and work boots . no lunch they can eat after . its work time . I was wondering if Berg would hook up with Steel for one period see what happens .

[Fight Guy]

More and more I'm liking Berg. It's a real shame he didn't want to commit before the 10th. I'm finding he is being hindered a bit playing on a line with Kroeker and Smith. There were a few times tonight again where Berg made himself wide open and Smith either didn't pass it to him or noticed way too late and botched a pass. With someone more experienced, I think he would clean up in front of the net. Like I said after last game, he's really smart and a bit of a treat to watch. Him and Steel might look really good together, especially with the physicality he has shown. He hits everything he gets near and they are solid hits! He looked better when the lines got shuffled a little in the 3rd.

The LP explained how Paddock had just gotten the job right before camp and didn't know anything about anybody and had to make some decisions fast. Berg did feel snubbed and played a part in his resistance to join later on. All I can say is I hope he likes it now and wants to stick around. I'm guessing he plays a few games after he goes to the prospects game. They'll probably have him around for the game on the 23rd. That night's going to be crazy! Gonna be a HUGE 50/50!!

As for the game, I missed the first three goals and had some buffering problems, so didn't go back to see them. Like PD said, they seem to have our number. They are able to take the Pats off their game. Christoffer's double minor really hurt. Though he did sort of make up for it with a huge hit and pretty good fight to follow. Didn't make those goals disappear though... Again, Jarry was great. If not for his stellar play, the Pats probably have a couple more goals. Didn't do near enough to win. Like already stated, only a few players were good all game. Red Deer won't be any easier. They've gotten better through out the season.

[patsdude114]

A very interesting game tonight from start to finish 1st 2nd & 3rd stars of the games were both refs they made a lot of brutal calls both ways.

Best players tonight for the Pats was Steel followed by Hobbs, after Hobbs had a very rough game last night he bounced back tonight with a solid game. I was very shocked to see Hansen scratched tonight in favour of both Krushen and Mortlock..... Hansen I think could of been a key guy on the backend tonight especially with all the penalties that happened.

Wapple was Wapple tonight he gave us every chance to win tonight but with that said at the other end Burman played a heck of a game as well.

I really wanted to see Berg get a chance to shoot in the shootout, im not a fan of the shootout but its clear that we lack the higher end skill that it takes in the shootouts. But with that said as well as much as I hate the shootout I still believe you use your best shooters to start the shootout each and every single time.

So we are now 1-1-0-1 on this road trip into AB playing against a Hitmen team that we haven't beat yet this year. The Hitmen are coming off a 4-1 loss to Victoria tonight and the Hitmen at least from the game sheet only had 14 shots on goal, not if that's Victoria's defensive game or if the Hitmen just played that poorly.

[chopper]

Lots of issues with this game. 10-3 on PP opportunities, that's ridiculous. When Paddock call the officiating terrible, it must have been. He rarely says anything about officiating and he sounded hot about that. It kept him from using all four lines and wore out others.

I'm not a fan of the shootout but it's a part of the game. When we had Gay, Hunt, Klimchuk AND Burroughs, we could win those games. We will need to find a shootout specialist among the young guys we have. It didn't help that we missed the net three times.

Geez if nothing else skate in with some speed and wire a shot inside the post. We try to get too cute but don't have that level of talent. The winning goal was scored on a shot. One more loser point and we get 4 out of 8 points. Hope for a win though.

Unfortunately I think this season will remain an up and down kind of thing. We will do better in years to come but right now the experience just simply isn't there.

[patsdude114]

The refs took all the flow out of this game, when it was 5on5 it was a great game to watch neither team had an edge and if you look at all the PP chances RD had over us it just goes to show that the Pats battled hard and was still in this game.

When a team has 7 more PPs then the other more times then not the game isn't even close. Like I said above there were a lot of very questionable calls both ways and the refs were the stars of this game which is sad cause the fans and players get screwed over.

Everyone in their right mind knew after we traded away our key vets that this was going to be 1 rocky ride til the end of the year and that is the case. The thing is its not like we are being out played on a regular basis, the game against EDM was just EDM making us pay for our mistakes by the youth. When we start getting our arses handed to us like the Blades and canes tend to then ill start worrying more.

[chopper]

For as long as I can remember the refs in this league have been kissing Sutter's butt along with McCrimmon. Late in the game D'Amico goes down along the boards and take a vicious cross check to the back of the head with the ref looking on. No call.

Teams get frustrated when they see the ice being deliberately tilted by the officials. We however did richly deserve a lot of the infractions called against us. It were the ones the officials were unwilling to call against RD that was frustrating.

Youth was factor in Edmonton but it's the same team that played in MH. The biggest reason in Edmonton is that our vets weren't leading. They were on for what appeared to be all the goals. They had no commitment to defence. They played soft.

Against RD we were physical and hard on the puck You need to be when your playing a Sutter coached team. You have to kick ass and take names. Steel has a super chance to win it late third. Hopefully he starts burying his chances. Needs to be quicker on release. They were just slightly better on the shootout than we were. If you have no move then just shoot the puck. Pick a spot and fire. That's how Musil scored the winner. This afternoon they need to gut out 2 points in Calgary. "Play right" as Paddock says.

[WesternHockeyScout]

If they can gut out 1 point you'd have to call the trip a resounding success. On a Central Division road trip that includes 3 games in the last 4 days against Red Deer, Edmonton and Medicine Hat they have taken 3 of a possible 6 points. I don't think many people outside of the Pats dressing room expected that.

If they can earn another point in Calgary that would be statement enough. If they actually come home from a 4 games in 5 night Central Division gauntlet with 5 of a possible 8 points, then they've really accomplished something they can build on.

[sbtatter]

Taylor cooper appears to be playing out of his skin since going to Regina

[patsdude114]

If they can gut out 1 point you'd have to call the trip a resounding success. On a Central Division road trip that includes 3 games in the last 4 days against Red Deer, Edmonton and Medicine Hat they have taken 3 of a possible 6 points. I don't think many people outside of the Pats dressing room expected that.

If they can earn another point in Calgary that would be statement enough. If they actually come home from a 4 games in 5 night Central Division gauntlet with 5 of a possible 8 points, then they've really accomplished something they can build on.

i don't normally agree with much you say (each to their own right) but I agree with everything you said in this comment. The Central Division is hands down the toughest division in the league and the Pats have nothing to hand their head about. Even the loss we suffered to EDM it wasn't like we were out played by any means just key turnovers ended up in the back of our net and then 1 very selfish 4min penalty by our captain buried us completely.

[patsdude114]

Taylor cooper appears to be playing out of his skin since going to Regina

I didn't have high expectations when Cooper came here but he has been 1 of the best Pats player since the deadline. I haerd from Hurricane fans that Reagan has been playing great as well on their top pairing with Walters

[Bartholamew]

In 5 games with Lethbridge Brady has 0 goals 0 assists 0 penalty minutes and is -5. Not great numbers yet but you have to consider if is Lethbridge.

[Shooter]

Well I heard pp is 4 for 54. This is a joke and the staff needs to rotate 3-4 units. It would be scary if it worked. Someone needs to work on this it get a special team specialist hired.

It's not drawing it....,it's working on it at practice every day. This is our bread and butter especially being young. It changes momentum.

We have great coaches but they may need derkatch to come to practice.