The Regina Pats snapped a five-game losing streak in a big way on Friday night, earning a 5–2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels at the Brandt Centre.
The win not only got the Pats back in the win column, but also moved them ahead of Red Deer for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with 29 points.
Regina came out with pace in the opening period and was rewarded midway through the frame. Matt Paranych opened the scoring at 10:31, cutting in from the left wing and snapping a shot over the shoulder of Peyton Shore. Just 49 seconds later, Ruslan Karimov doubled the lead after Zachary Lansard worked the puck behind the net and fed Karimov in front, where he slid it home to give the Pats a 2–0 edge after one.
The Pats continued to push in the second period, extending the lead to 3–0 when Liam Pue finished a feed from Maddox Schultz at 5:48. Red Deer responded quickly, as Beckett Hamilton wired a shot past Marek Schlenker just 27 seconds later to get the Rebels on the board.
Paranych restored the three-goal cushion midway through the period with his second of the night, picking up a loose puck at the left point, cutting toward the slot, and beating Shore high glove side. The Rebels answered again at 12:49 when Hamilton scored his second of the game on a long-range shot following a blocked attempt from the point, cutting the Pats’ lead to 4–2 heading into the third.
Regina locked things down in the final frame, limiting Red Deer’s chances and protecting the two-goal advantage. Zach Moore sealed the win in the final second, firing an empty-net goal from centre ice with one second remaining.
Marek Schlenker earned the win in goal for Regina, while Paranych’s two-goal performance paced the Pats offensively as they picked up a critical victory on home ice.
FINAL: Regina Pats 5, Red Deer Rebels 2
THE GOALS
First Period
Pats 1-0 — #44 Matt Paranych (4), assisted by #10 Keets Fawcett & #27 Caden Brown at 10:31 // Paranych worked in on the left wing side and snapped a shot over the shoulder of Peyton Shore to open the scoring for the Blue Brigade.
Pats 2-0 — #25 Ruslan Karimov (9), assisted by #57 Zachary Lansard & #6 Reese Hamilton at 11:20 // Lansard stick-handled behind the net and centred a pass in front for Ruslan Karimov, who slid the puck under Shore to extend the lead.
Second Period
Pats 3-0 — #13 Liam Pue (4), assisted by #19 Maddox Schultz & #20 Connor Bear at 5:48 // Schultz feathered the puck down low to Pue, who snuck in on the left side and snapped the puck under the shoulder of Shore to increase the lead.
Rebels 3-1 — #21 Beckett Hamilton (11), assisted by #8 Cole Temple at 6:15 // Just seconds after the Pats' goal, Temple skated across the line and snapped a pass over to Hamilton, who wired the puck over Marek Schlenker to get Red Deer on the board.
Pats 4-1 — #44 Matt Paranych (5), assisted by #10 Keets Fawcett at 12:06 // Fawcett got bumped off the puck at the blueline, and Paranych picked up the puck at the left point and cut towards the net and let a wrister go that beat Shore high to the glove side to make it 4-2.
Rebels 4-2 — #21 Beckett Hamilton (12), assisted by #14 Kalder Varga at 12:49 // Varga's shot from the right point was blocked by a Pats defender, but the puck ricocheted back to Hamilton at the mid point, and his long-range shot beat Schlenker to pull the Rebels back to within a pair at 4-2.
Third Period
Pats 5-2 — #18 Zach Moore (5), assisted by #24 Jace Egland at 19:59 (EN) // Moore capped off the win with an empty-netter from centre ice.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 6 – 16 – 7 — 29
- Rebels: 12 – 8 – 10 — 30
Power Plays
- Pats: 1/4
- Rebels: 1/2
Goaltending
- Pats: Marek Schlenker — 28 saves on 30 shots
- Rebels: Peyton Shore — 24 saves on 28 shots
Three Stars
- First Star: Matt Paranych – Pats (2G)
- Second Star: Beckett Hamilton – Rebels (2G)
- Third Star: Marek Schlenker – Pats (28 SV)
COMING UP
The Regina Pats head on the road and take on the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday, Jan. 10. The Pats return home on Wednesday, Jan. 14, when they host the Swift Current Broncos before hosting the Victoria Royals on Saturday, Jan. 17, with a 6 pm puck drop.
