The Regina Pats earned a hard-fought weekend split with a 6–3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre, but the story may ultimately be overshadowed by an injury to under-age forward Maddox Schultz.
Schultz, who was Regina’s most dangerous player all night, left the game in the third period after taking a point shot in the midsection while tied up on a defensive-zone faceoff. He struggled to his feet, tossed his gloves aside on the Pats bench, and immediately headed to the dressing room. There was no post-game update on his condition.
Before the injury, Schultz was everywhere.
He opened the scoring just 2:08 into the game when Keets Fawcett sprung him on a partial left-side break. Schultz ripped a high stick-side shot over the shoulder of Blades goaltender Ryley Budd, giving Regina the early 1–0 lead.
The Blades responded with a pair of goals, Hunter Laing wiring home his 23rd after a board battle deep in Pats territory, and Jordan Martin finding the net from the point through a heavy screen to make it 2–1 Saskatoon.
Regina, however, punched back before the period closed. Dayton Deschamps jumped on a loose puck and buried his second of the year to knot the game 2–2 after 20 minutes.
Schultz wasn’t done. At 7:09 of the second, Reese Hamilton fed a perfect pass into the slot, and Schultz stepped into it, beating Budd clean to restore Regina’s lead one they would not relinquish.
Just 13 seconds into the third, the Pats struck again. Liam Pue turned a 2-on-1 into a tap-in for Mathis Paull, extending the advantage to 4–2.
Moments later, Ephram McNutt added insurance, stretching the lead to 5–2 and sending the Brandt Centre crowd into full voice.
Saskatoon made one more push when Rowan Calvert picked a corner for his 26th of the season with 8:39 left, but the Pats locked it down from there.
With 2:17 remaining, Connor Bear sealed the win with a centre-ice empty-netter, capping a confident and complete Regina performance.
With the win, the Pats sit seventh in the WHL Eastern Conference, five points ahead of Red Deer and six up on Moose Jaw as the playoff race tightens.
Still, all eyes will be on the status of Schultz. The 15-year-old has been a heartbeat player for Regina, and his early exit cast a shadow over an otherwise impressive night.
Regina returns to the Brandt Centre on Tuesday when they host the Medicine Hat Tigers.
