An impressive four-goal second period erased an early two-goal deficit, lifting the Regina Pats to a 6-3 comeback win at Assiniboine Credit Union Place against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday.
The Pats hit the road for their final game of the weekend, looking for a fast start against the Wheat Kings. However, it was Brandon who would strike first and carry momentum throughout the first period – scoring twice in the opening frame. The Wheat Kings' two goals came just under four minutes apart as Dylan Ronald was the beneficiary of a tic-tac-toe play with Carter Klippenstein and Luke Miustelbacher at 4:34 before Nigel Boehm finished off a give-and-go with Joby Baumuller at 8:33, beating Pats goaltender Taylor Tabashniuk. Despite the start, before the end of the frame, Regina made it a one-goal game at 14:00 as Jace Egland capitalized on a rebound in front following an initial stop by Brandon's Filip Ruzicka on Mathis Paull.
The Pats carried their late-period momentum into the middle frame, scoring four goals in the second period. Captain Ephram McNutt led the way, scoring twice to give his team the lead. At 4:35, McNutt made an incredible solo effort, going end-to-end before beating Ruzicka five-hole to even the score. Shortly after, at 9:30 on the power-play, the 20-year-old buried his second of the game with a one-timer from Reese Hamilton and Ruslan Karimov. The Wheat Kings would respond with a Baumuller power-play goal of their own at 14:39, but it was all Regina thereafter, as the team scored twice more through Zach Lansard (16:12) and Keets Fawcett (18:33) to take a commanding 5-3 lead after a busy 40 minutes.
Jayden Kraus replaced Ruzicka in the Wheat Kings crease in the third period, turning aside all nine shots he faced. However, Regina would capitalize on a Brandon empty net at 18:30, as Fawcett notched his second goal of the night to solidify a 6-3 victory on the road and a second straight win for the Pats – sweeping the weekend slate of games. With the result, the Pats improved to 13-20-4-1 on the season. Pats' Tabashniuk stopped 21 of 24 shots he faced. At the other end, Wheat Kings netminder Ruzicka turned aside 21 of 26 shots before Kraus stopped nine shots in his relief, with the final shots on goal being 36-24 in favour of Regina. On special teams, each team scored on the man advantage as both clubs went 1-for-2 on the power play.
Most notably, McNutt secured his second multi-goal game against the Wheat Kings this season, while Fawcett took over the team lead in goals this season (20). Tabashniuk made his first start for the Pats since October 29, when he left the game with an injury, also against the Wheat Kings. He earned his first win since October 25 against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
FINAL: Regina Pats 6, Brandon Wheat Kings 3
THE GOALS
First Period
Wheat Kings 1-0 —#5 Dylan Ronald (4), assisted by #26 Luke Mistelbacher, & #19 Carter Klippenstein at 4:34
Klippenstein carried the puck through the neutral zone, dropping it to Mistelbacher at the Pats' blue line. Mistelbacher made a cross-ice feed to Ronald, and he beat Tabashniuk glove side to open the scoring at 4:34.
Wheat Kings 2-0 —#12 Nigel Boehm (1), assisted by #17 Joby Baumuller at 8:33
Boehm made a long stretch pass to Baumuller, who carried speed through the neutral zone before giving the puck back to Boehm, who beat Tabashniuk with a deke to finish the give-and-go at 8:33.
Pats 2-1 —#24 Jace Egland (6), assisted by #32 Mathis Paull at 14:00
Paull drove the net but was initially stopped before Egland knocked in the rebound at 14:00 to cut the deficit in half.
Second Period
Pats 2-2 —#55 Ephram McNutt (7), assisted by #30 Taylor Tabashniuk at 4:35
McNutt picked up the puck behind the Pats' net and took it himself the length of the ice, firing a wrist shot past Ruzicka to tie the game at 4:35.
Pats 3-2 —#55 Ephram McNutt (8), assisted by #6 Reese Hamilton, & #25 Ruslan Karimov at 9:30 (PP)
Off the draw, Karimov played the puck back to the point to Hamilton, who shuffled a pass to McNutt, and he wired a one-timer into the net to give Regina the lead on the man advantage at 9:30.
Wheat Kings 3-3 —#17 Joby Baumuller (28), assisted by #9 Jaxon Jacobson, & #84 Giorgos Pantelas at 14:39 (PP)
Pantelas moved the puck to Jacobson, and he found Baumuller for a one-timer at the top of the right circle. His shot beat Tabashniuk, evening the score on the man advantage at 14:39.
Pats 4-3 —#57 Zach Lansard (15), (unassisted) at 16:12
As Ruzicka went to play the puck, he passed it onto the stick of Lansard, who knocked it out of the air and shot it into the empty net at 16:12.
Pats 5-3 —#10 Keets Fawcett (19), assisted by #21 Ellis Mieyette at 18:33
Mieyette dropped a pass onto the stick of Fawcett in the neutral zone. The 19-year-old entered the Wheat Kings zone, cut to the middle, and shot a bullet over the blocker of Ruzicka at 18:33.
Third Period
Pats 6-3 —#10 Keets Fawcett (20), assisted by #4 Kolten Bridgeman, & #27 Caden Brown at 18:30 (ENG)
Fawcett wired a shot from his own end into the Wheat Kings' empty net at 18:30.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 12 – 14 – 10 — 36
- Wheat Kings: 11 – 5 – 8 — 24
Power Plays
- Pats: 1/2
- Wheat Kings: 1/2
Goaltending
- Pats: Taylor Tabashniuk — 21 saves on 24 shots
- Wheat Kings: Filip Ruzicka — 21 saves on 26 shots, Jayden Kraus — Nine saves on nine shots
Three Stars
- First Star: #55 Ephram McNutt (2G)
- Second Star: #17 Joby Baumuller (1G, 1A)
- Third Star: #10 Keets Fawcett (2G)
COMING UP
The Pats resume play with midweek action at the Brandt Centre for Wednesday Giveaway Night against the Swift Current Broncos on January 14 at 7:00 p.m. The club will then conclude a two-game homestand on Saturday, January 17, at 6:00 p.m. against the Victoria Royals for Be A Superhero Night, presented by RE/MAX. You won't want to miss these exciting matchups!
