The Regina Pats fell into the loss column for the first time in the 2023-24 season on Wednesday night as the Moose Jaw Warriors skated away with a 4-2 victory at the Brandt Centre.
Tye Spencer and Tanner Howe provided the goals for Regina.
The Pats controlled most of the play in the opening period, outshooting the Warriors 17-5.
Regina had the first glorious opportunity to get on the scoreboard on the powerplay, but Spencer hit the side of the post.
It was Moose Jaw who would strike first. Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus opened the scoring with his first goal of the season.
The Pats wasted little time tying the game, with Spencer deflecting a pass from Howe past Moose Jaw’s Jackson Unger for the equalizer.
Another odd-man rush with Howe and Spencer led to Regina’s second goal of the night. Instead of passing, Howe elected to shoot the puck and buried it in the back of the net, giving the Pats their first lead.
The Warriors tied the game in the third period when Lyndon Lakovic scored.
Moose Jaw jumped back into the lead with a powerplay marker when Eric Alarie buried a shot through the legs of Pats goalie Kelton Pyne.
Atley Calvert added an empty netter for the Warriors.
Head Coach Brad Herauf said after the game that he liked the team’s process but not the result.
“They had a really good first period and I thought we took our foot off the gas pedal a little bit, but that first period is the kind of hockey we play, hockey when we’re organized, more skating, we can put that kind of pressure on teams.”
He adds a big part of Pat’s identity will be their forecheck and pressure.
“We feel like we got four lines that can play, I think when we look at our team, we’re tailored to skate, that’s one thing I think our forwards have really bought into, as long we stay organized, and we can stay rotating on our forecheck, think it can be a problem for teams.”
Spencer felt despite a dominating first period, the Pats weren’t frustrated with their situation.
“We knew they were going to come strong here and we know what they can bring to the table, and yeah they got some guys missing, that’s no excuse for us.”
Regina was 0/5 on the powerplay. Moose Jaw was 1/5.
Pyne made 20 saves in the loss.
20-year-old defenceman Keegan Slaney picked up his first point as a Pat with an assist.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre.
The next game for the Pats will come on Friday when they travel to Prince Albert to meet the Raiders.
