REGINA — Despite a tight first period, the Regina Pats couldn’t hold off the Everett Silvertips on Wednesday night, who scored eight times, including four power-play goals, to claim an 8-3 victory at Angel of the Winds Arena.
With many familiar faces on both sides, the game got off to a fast start, with both teams setting the pace from the outset. Granted an early power play, Everett capitalized on their first opportunity to gain a lead at 2:43 of the first period. The play began with Zachary Shantz and Tarin Smith working a quick give-and-go with former Pats forward Jaxsin Vaughan, who stepped in along the right half wall and snapped a high wrist shot past goaltender Matthew Hutchison to make it 1-0. However, Regina would respond on their first man advantage, evening the score at 12:03. Pressuring in the offensive zone, Zach Lansard connected with Ellis Mieyette, who rimmed the puck around the boards for Keets Fawcett at the top of the left circle. Fawcett stepped in and uncorked a wrist shot that beat Silvertips goaltender Raiden LeGall high blocker to pull the Pats even. Before the period would come to a close, Everett would strike twice in just over three minutes to swing the game in their favour. Getting the puck from Jesse Heslop, Ryan Gould threaded a laser of a pass to an open Tarin Smith, and he put a puck five-hole past Hutchinson to regain a one-goal advantage. Then, picking up the puck behind the net from Matias Vanhanen, Julius Miettinen fed Carter Bear alone in front. The 19-year-old would tuck it in the back of the net, quickly making it 3-1 after 20 minutes.
In the middle frame, the Silvertips would pick up where they left off. Another former Pat, Zachary Shantz, would be the beneficiary of another Silvertips power-play goal. A play that began with Smith, Heslop held the puck behind Regina’s net before finding Shantz in front. He unloaded a one-timer to make it 4-1 at 2:55. A few minutes later, at 5:14, Matias Vanhanen received the puck from Landon Dupont, and he slung a cross-ice feed to Miettinen, who fired a shot past Hutchison at 5:14 to make it 5-1. Regina would get one back, however, as captain Ephram McNutt made a pass to Julien Maze in the right corner, and he fed Liam Pue in the slot. Pue would have his initial shot stopped, but Caden Brown would clean up the rebound to make it 5-2 on the power play at 14:13. The goals would continue from there, as Everett struck twice more, both on the power play, before Marek Schlenker came in to relieve Hutchison following the sixth goal. Bear scored both markers, completing a hat-trick through two periods, while Dupont would pick up a pair of assists. Miettinen and Vanhanen also contributed helpers on the two goals, sending the Silvertips into the second intermission with a 7-2 lead after 40 minutes of high-scoring action.
To open the third, the Pats would get on the board early. At 2:43, Matt Paranych came away with the puck in the offensive zone before moving it to Dayton Deschamps at the blue line. Charging the net, Deschamps slid a backhand pass to Mathis Paull, who made no mistake in scoring his third goal of the season, making it 7-3. Taking advantage of a misplayed clearing attempt, Bear kept the puck in the zone. Vanhanen scooped up the puck and fed Brek Liske, who tucked a shot over Schlenker’s shoulder to extend the Silvertips’ lead to 8-3 at 15:13. That would stand as the final as the Silvertips would come away with the victory on home ice. After Wednesday’s game, Regina moved to 9-13-2-1 on the season. Pats’ Hutchison stopped 18 of 24 shots before being relieved by Schlenker, who made 13 saves. At the other end, Silvertips’ LeGall turned aside 31 of 34 shots, with the final shots on goal being 39-34 in favour of Everett. On special teams, both teams found success on the power play, with the Pats going 2-for-3 and the Silvertips going 4-for-5. The Blue Brigade had nine different skaters get on the scoresheet against Everett. Notably, Brown registered his team-high 18th goal of the season, Fawcett picked up his third goal in four games, and Pue tallied his third WHL assist and first point of the U.S. road trip.
FINAL: Everett Silvertips 8, Regina Pats 3
THE GOALS
First Period
Silvertips 1-0 —#15 Jaxsin Vaughan (6), assisted by #24 Tarin Smith, & #19 Zachary Shantz (PP) at 2:43
Smith, walking the line, fed the puck to Vaughan on the half wall, and he wired a wrist shot past Hutchison to put the Silvertips on the board first at 2:43.
Pats 1-1 —#10 Keets Fawcett (17), assisted by #21 Ellis Mieyette, & #57 Zach Lansard at 12:03 (PP)
Lansard slid a pass to Mieyette that leaked into the corner. Mieyette found Fawcett at the top of the left circle, who found the back of the net with a wrister upstairs at 12:03.
Silvertips 2-1 —#24 Tarin Smith (6), assisted by #16 Ryan Gould, & #22 Jesse Heslop at 16:37
Gould lasered a pass across the Pats’ zone to find an open Smith, who made no mistake, burying a puck five-hole to restore the Silvertips’ one-goal lead at 16:37.
Silvertips 3-1 —#11 Carter Bear (8), assisted by #17 Julius Miettinen, & #37 Matias Vanhanen at 19:47
Miettinen protected the puck as he curled behind the Pats’ net before slipping a pass to Bear in front, who tucked it past Hutchison to make it a two-goal Everett lead at 19:47.
Second Period
Silvertips 4-1 —#19 Zachary Shantz (10), assisted by #22 Jesse Heslop, & #24 Tarin Smith (PP) at 2:55
Heslop, controlling the puck behind the Pats’ net, made a pass to Shantz in front, and he rifled a one-timer at 2:55 on the power play.
Silvertips 5-1 —#17 Julius Miettinen (13), assisted by #37 Matias Vanhanen, & #9 Landon Dupont at 5:14
Picking the puck up at the Pats’ blue line, Vanhanen made a cross-ice pass to Miettinen in the slot, and he wired home a one-timer at 5:14.
Pats 5-2 —#27 Caden Brown (18), assisted by #13 Liam Pue, & #72 Julien Maze (PP) at 14:13
In the right corner, Maze found Pue in the slot, and his shot was stopped. On the doorstep was Brown, who put the puck into the net at 14:13 on the man advantage.
Silvertips 6-2 —#11 Carter Bear (9), assisted by #17 Julius Miettinen, & #9 Landon Dupont (PP) at 16:30
On the power play, after a scrum in front, the puck would come loose in the slot. Miettinen would fake a shot and slide a pass over to Bear, who buried his second of the game at 16:30.
Silvertips 7-2 —#11 Carter Bear (10), assisted by #37 Matias Vanhanen, & #9 Landon Dupont (PP) at 16:51
Twenty-one seconds later, Dupont shuffled the puck to Vanhanen, who found Bear's back door for a tic-tac-toe play, completing his hat-trick at 16:51 on the man advantage.
Third Period
Pats 7-3 —#32 Mathis Paull (3), assisted by #38 Dayton Deschamps & #44 Matt Paranych at 2:43
Attacking in the offensive zone, Paranych played the puck to the point for Deschamps. Attacking the net, Deschamps made a backhand pass to Paull, and he snapped a quick shot past LeGall at 2:43.
Silvertips 8-3 —#42 Brek Liske (1), assisted by #37 Matias Vanhanen & #11 Carter Bear at 15:13
After a failed clearing attempt, Bear kept the puck in. Vanhanen picked it up and passed the puck to Liske, who beat Schlenker over the shoulder at 15:13.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 9 – 13 – 12 — 34
- Silvertips: 17 – 8 – 14— 39
Power Plays
- Pats: 2/3
- Silvertips: 4/5
Goaltending
- Pats: Matthew Hutchison — 18 saves on 24 shots, Marek Schlenker — 13 saves on 15 shots
- Silvertips: Raiden LeGall — 31 saves on 34 shots
Three Stars
- First Star: #11 Carter Bear (3G, 1A)
- Second Star: #17 Julius Miettinen (1G, 2A)
- Third Star: #24 Tarin Smith (1G, 2A)
COMING UP
The Pats wrap up their two-week road swing with back-to-back games on Friday, November 28, at 5:00 p.m. against the Portland Winterhawks, followed by a matchup against the Wenatchee Wild on Saturday, November 29, at 8:00 p.m. Upon returning to Regina, the Pats will host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday, December 5, at 7:00 p.m. for the Deck the Rink game at the Brandt Centre!
