Trip to the top through Central
Greg Harder, Leader-Post
Published: Friday, February 15, 2008
The Regina Pats don't need a road map to figure out there are no shortcuts to their first East Division crown in 10 years.
The only sure path is a direct route, one that will require successfully navigating a six-game, nine-day trip that begins with stops in three Central Division strongholds: Kootenay, Lethbridge and Calgary.
"It's going to be tough because of the teams we're playing," offered Pats sniper Jordan Eberle, whose club opens the trip tonight against the Kootenay Ice. "If you look at our division it's so close right now that if you lose one game you could drop three spots just like that. Every game right now until the end of the season is going to be really important."
Despite a few close calls, the Pats are still clinging to top spot in the East Division with 14 regular-season games left. Regina has a four-point edge on the Swift Current Broncos (13 games remaining) and a five-point lead on the Moose Jaw Warriors (15 games left).
The winner of the division will automatically be seeded no lower than second in the Eastern Conference, thus guaranteeing home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The Pats are determined to claim the division crown -- their first since 1997-98 -- but the calibre of their pursuers suggests they'll have to earn it.
"The challenge is to be consistent," said Pats head coach Curtis Hunt. "The stakes get a little higher this time of year. We're going into some difficult buildings. There are some challenges but I liked our week of practice. Just talking to the guys individually and in small groups, I like our focus and our recognition of where we are and maybe more importantly who we are. We're trying to stress that it takes everybody and it takes everybody every night to have success."
The Pats are slated to have all hands on deck for their trip, with the exception of tough guy Josh Elder, who received a two-game suspension for his post-game fight with Frazer McLaren of the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday night.
Elder aside, it's the first time in almost three months that Regina has boasted a full healthy roster.
"That's exciting," said Hunt. "It helps with the overall energy and excitement when the guys come to the rink. I think we know we're a good club but now we're a healthy club. That's important."
The Pats' ability to win on the road was once an Achilles heel, but that appeared to change after a mid-January trip when they beat each of the top four teams in the Central Division: The Ice, Hurricanes, Hitmen and Medicine Hat Tigers. Regina now owns a respectable 15-10-2-1 record away from the Brandt Centre.
"It should give the guys confidence to know we've been there and we can do it again," noted Pats right-winger Brett Leffler. "We have to play hard, stick to our game and do nothing special because we are on the road and we're playing against (top) teams. We have to do what we do (best) -- get pucks in, chip pucks, be physical and play our game."
The Pats also know there's a fine line between winning and losing in those venues. All four victories on their last trip were by one goal, including one via shootout and another in overtime.
"That's the way it has been and that's how we've had our success with those grind-it-out type of games," said Hunt. "The margin for error is small. It's a chip here or there or a finished check or a battle to get to a loose puck. Those are the little things we've been doing in those games to make us successful."
The Pats conclude their trip against the three worst teams in the conference: The Red Deer Rebels, Prince Albert Raiders and Saskatoon Blades. Those teams have combined for eight wins against Regina this season.
The Pats' first game back at the Brandt Centre -- site of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts -- is Feb. 27 against the Kamloops Blazers.
Six of the Pats' final eight regular-season games are on home ice.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008