The Regina Pats dropped a 6–2 decision to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday night at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
The Hurricanes opened the scoring just 2:10 into the game when Oli Chenier pounced on a rebound in front and slid a wrist shot past Taylor Tabashniuk to make it 1–0. Regina answered midway through the period as Dayton Deschamps chipped a loose puck in the slot past Koen Cleaver for his first of the season, tying the game 1–1 at 10:56.
Lethbridge regained the lead less than two minutes later while shorthanded. Matteo Fabrizi sprung Chenier from the defensive zone, and the forward broke in alone before tucking a backhand past Tabashniuk to give the Hurricanes a 2–1 edge after one.
The Pats pulled even early in the second period on the power play. Reese Hamilton fired a long shot-pass toward the net, where Caden Brown got a deflection to make it 2–2 at 8:49. From there, the Hurricanes took control. Andrew Petruk snapped a shot low glove side to restore the lead at 14:37, before Kade Duell blasted home a power-play marker just over a minute later to make it 4–2.
Lethbridge added another late in the period on a two-on-one, as Tyden Lafournaise beat Marek Schlenker over the glove to push the lead to 5–2 heading into the third.
The final period saw the Hurricanes lock things down defensively, limiting Regina’s chances before Lukas Lima capped the scoring with a power-play goal at 18:58, chipping a puck over Schlenker’s shoulder to seal the 6–2 result.
Regina outshot Lethbridge 32–25 and went 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Hurricanes finished 2-for-5 with the man advantage. Tabashniuk made 13 saves on 17 shots before Schlenker stopped six of eight in relief. At the other end, Cleaver was solid with 30 saves and earned third-star honours.
Chenier led the way offensively for Lethbridge with two goals and an assist, earning first-star recognition as the Hurricanes skated away with the home-ice win.
FINAL: Lethbridge Hurricanes 6, Regina Pats 2
THE GOALS
First Period
Hurricanes 1-0 — #19 Oli Chenier (4), assisted by #14 Jake Evans & #23 Matteo Fabrizi at 2:10 // Evans' shot from the slot was stopped by Tabashniuk, but the rebound bounced out to Chenier, who found the puck and sent a wrist shot past Tabashniuk to make it 1-0 for the home squad.
Pats 1-1 — #38 Dayton Deschamps (1), assisted by #49 Dayce Derkatch & #20 Connor Bear at 10:56 // The Pats broke in on a 3-on-2 where the initial shot was blocked, and as the puck bounced around the slot where Deschamps chipped it past Cleaver to even things up at 1-1.
Hurricanes 2-1 — #19 Oli Chenier (5), assisted by #23 Matteo Fabrizi at 12:58 (SH) // Fabrizi chipped the puck to Chenier in the defensive zone, and with speed he blew by the Pats defender and broke in alone and tucked home a backhand past Tabashniuk to make it 2-1.
Second Period
Pats 2-2 — #27 Caden Brown (21), assisted by #6 Reese Hamilton & #21 Ellis Mieyette at 8:49 (PP) // Hamilton fired a long shot pass to the front of the goal where Brown was able to get a nice deflection on it to once again tie things up at 2-2.
Hurricanes 3-2 — #26 Andrew Petruk (4), assisted by #3 Will Scott at 14:37 // Petruk received a pass and as he crossed the blueline, let the shot go that beat Tabashniuk low on the glove side to restore the Hurricanes' one-goal lead.
Hurricanes 4-2 — #9 Kade Duell (12), assisted by #15 Kayden Longley & #16 Easton Daneault at 15:57 (PP) // From the left point, Longley sent a cross-ice pass to Duell, who took a slapshot from the right point that beat the Pats goaltender to make it 4-2.
Hurricanes 5-2 — #12 Tyden Lafournaise (8), assisted by #15 Kayden Longley & #11 Kyle Heger at 17:37 // The Hurricanes broke in on a two-on-one where Lafournaise elected to shoot, and he beat Schlenker over his glove hand to extend the lead to 5-2.
Third Period
Hurricanes 6-2 — #28 Lukas Lima (1), assisted by #14 Jake Evans & #19 Oli Chenier at 18:58 (PP) // Evans got the puck along the right boards and sent a pass toward the Pats net where Lima chipped it over Schlenker's shoulder to make it 6-2.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 8 – 15 – 9 — 32
- Hurricanes: 11 – 10 – 4 — 25
Power Plays
- Pats: 1/6
- Hurricanes: 2/5
Goaltending
- Pats: Taylor Tabashniuk — 13 saves on 17 shots in 35:57 & Marek Schlenker — 6 saves on 8 shots in 24:03
- Hurricanes: Koen Cleaver — 30 saves on 32 shots
Three Stars
- First Star: #19 Oli Chenier (2G-1A)
- Second Star: #23 Matteo Fabrizi (2A)
- Third Star: #30 Koen Cleaver (30SV)
COMING UP
The Pats return to the ice tomorrow evening against the Calgary Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Blue Brigade will wrap up their stretch of five straight away from the Brandt Centre on Friday, January 30, against the Swift Current Broncos.
The Pats return home on Saturday, January 31, to face the Moose Jaw Warriors, with puck drop set for 6 p.m.
