REGINA — If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
The Regina Pats put that saying to good use on Sunday afternoon in Western Hockey League action, and it paid off in the end as they’d score twice in the third period before taking a 3-2 overtime victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors.
It was as dominant a showing as Regina could have and still see things end up in overtime, as they outshot the Warriors 53-23 in total, including 20 shots in the third period alone.
The contest did come with a caveat, though — Moose Jaw found themselves dealing with a sudden spate of injuries heading into the contest and ended up taking the ice with only 16 skates, including 10 forwards and six defencemen.
The game also had a strange twist in that it was supposed to take place on Saturday evening, but with the Trans-Canada Highway closed due to freezing rain and icy conditions, the game was postponed until Sunday afternoon.
When things did get going, the Warriors got off to a great start, with their first three shifts of the game spending most of their time in the Regina zone and they’d outshoot the Pats 5-0 through the first five minutes.
Regina got some pushback as the period progressed, but it would be the Warriors who turned their pressure into the game’s opening goal.
Pavel McKenzie set up at the side of the net and would one-time home a pass from Riley Thorpe to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead 7:00 into the contest.
All heart. All hustle. All Pavel McKenzie. 💪@MJWARRIORS pic.twitter.com/OlaSYosUtu
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) February 1, 2026
It was the Pats turn to take over the flow of play for the vast majority of the remainder of the first period, and despite getting 18 shots on goal, Warriors goaltender Chase Wutzke would hold the fort.
His efforts would be rewarded on the first power play of the game, as Mathieu Lajoie took a pass from McKenzie to create some open space, and his shot from the high slot would make it a 2-0 Moose Jaw lead with 1:22 left in the frame.
MATHIEU LAJOIE!! ON THE POWERPLAY!!! 🚀
2-0 @MJWARRIORS pic.twitter.com/YdZdwAGWRJ
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) February 1, 2026
Wutzke — a signed Minnesota Wild prospect — was back at it midway through the second period, making a pair of scrambling saves a minute apart to keep the contest a two-goal game.
The Warriors would come out of the second period with their two-goal lead, but the Pats would keep up the pressure and break through with eight minutes gone in the third.
Maddox Schultz was in the right spot just above the goalline to corral a shot in close from Keets Fawcett, and he’d put home a hard-angle shot to make it a 2-1 game with 7:16 gone in the final frame.
MADDOX SCHULTZ!! POUNCES ON THE REBOUND!!! 🚨@WHLPats pic.twitter.com/YOBuQfyVte
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) February 1, 2026
The Pats would receive their first power play of the game with 8:51 gone in the third, and some nice puck movement in the Warriors zone led to Fawcett tying the game on a shot from the high slot that went top shelf glove side with 9:45 remaining in the game.
KEETS FAWCETT!!! WITH HIS 25TH OF THE SEASON TO THE GAME!!!@WHLPats pic.twitter.com/86qRM7yBhy
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) February 1, 2026
The Warriors had their fourth power play of the game with 4:23 to play in regulation but despite a few solid scoring chances wouldn’t be able to find the go-ahead goal.
Neither team would fine the back of the net in the remaining two minutes, and the teams were off to overtime.
There, it would be the Pats who caught a huge break. Caden Brown stole the puck off a Warriors defender in the corner and got to the front of the net for a shot, with Wutzke making the initial save. The rebound would go straight to the front of the net, off Warriors forward Casey Brown’s stick and into the open side of the goal.
CADEN BROWN!! WINS IT IN OVERTIME!!! 🫨@WHLPats pic.twitter.com/aNooF6vWDw
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) February 1, 2026
Wutzke ended up with 50 saves on the afternoon, the Warriors had 21 on Regina’s Marek Schlenker.
Moose Jaw falls to 18-24-4-2 with the loss and are now four points up on 16-24-5-1 in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
The Warriors are back in action Wednesday when they travel to Swift Current to face the Broncos; with puck drop at 7 p.m. Regina returns to the ice on Friday when they host the Saskatoon Blades, with puck drop also at 7 p.m.
