The Regina Pats bounced back in a big way on Friday night, defeating the Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-4 inside the Brandt Centre to continue their late-season push toward a playoff spot.
The victory improved the Pats to 8-3 over their last 11 games, helping the Club strengthen its grip on a postseason position. Regina now holds 55 points with 24 wins and sits six points ahead of the ninth-place Moose Jaw Warriors in the Eastern Conference standings.
A balanced offensive effort powered the Blue Brigade, led by Cohen Klassen’s three-point night (2G-1A). Caden Brown recorded three assists, while Mathis Paull (1G-1A) and Ephram McNutt (2A) also posted multi-point performances. In goal, Marek Schlenker turned aside 31 shots to secure the win.
Regina struck quickly to open the scoring just 1:54 into the contest. After Connor Bear worked the puck up top inside the Hurricanes' zone, Dayton Deschamps blasted a shot into the top corner for his third of the season on the Pats’ first shot of the night.
Lethbridge responded shortly after on the power play. At 3:25, Kai Anderson was left open on the left side and fired a shot through Schlenker to tie the game 1-1.
The Pats regained the lead midway through the second period. Caden Brown sent a puck through the middle for Maddox Schultz, who burst past the defence before snapping a hard shot far side on Leif Oaten at 6:41 to make it 2-1.
Regina doubled the advantage late in the frame at 14:39. Ruslan Karimov drove hard to the net, and after his initial shot was stopped, Cohen Klassen pounced on the rebound and buried it to give the Pats a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.
The Hurricanes made things interesting early in the final frame when Kade Duell scored shorthanded just 37 seconds in, finishing a breakaway to cut the lead to 3-2.
The Pats answered quickly. Just 30 seconds later, Ephram McNutt weaved around a defender deep in the Lethbridge zone and fed Mathis Paull, who finished in front to restore Regina’s two-goal cushion at 4-2.
Lethbridge again pulled within one at 4:36 when Kyle Heger blasted a one-timer on the power play to make it 4-3. But the Pats continued to respond. At 5:09, Brown fired a shot from the left circle that created a rebound, and Klassen was there to bury his second of the night to push the lead to 5-3.
Regina added crucial insurance late in the period when Zachary Lansard streaked down his off wing and beat Oaten with a quick shot at 13:13, with Klassen picking up the assist.
The Hurricanes would get one back on the power play at 16:13 as Easton Daneault chipped a puck past Schlenker, but the Pats held firm the rest of the way to seal the 6-4 victory.
Regina outshot Lethbridge 43-35, including a 17-shot second period. The Pats went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Hurricanes finished 2-for-6.
FINAL: Regina Pats 6, Lethbridge Hurricanes 4
THE GOALS
First Period
Pats 1-0 — #38 Dayton Deschamps (3), assisted by #20 Connor Bear & #32 Mathis Paull at 1:54 // Deep inside the Hurricanes zone, Bear got the puck up top to an open Deschamps, and he made no mistake, finding the top corner to open the scoring on their first shot.
Hurricanes 1-1 — #17 Kai Anderson (12), assisted by #16 Easton Daneault & #29 Owen Berge at 3:25 (PP) // On the power play, Anderson was left wide open on the left side, quickly sending a cross ice pass five-hole on Marek Schlenker to tie the game.
Second Period
Pats 2-1 — #19 Maddox Schultz (11), assisted by #27 Caden Brown & #55 Ephram McNutt at 6:41 // Brown funnelled the puck through the middle for Schultz, and he picked up speed, getting behind the defence before ripping a hard shot far side on Leif Oaten.
Pats 3-1 — #37 Cohen Klassen (11), assisted by #25 Ruslan Karimov & #27 Caden Brown at 14:39 // Karimov used his size to drive to the front of the net, where his initial shot was stopped. Klassen then deposited home the rebound to make it a two-goal lead.
Third Period
Hurricanes 3-2 — #9 Kade Duell (16), assisted by #28 Lukas Lima & #23 Matteo Fabrizi at 0:37 (SH) // Lima won the puck along the right boards and chipped the puck to Duell, who broke in alone on Schlenker and lifted the puck past the Pats netminder to make it 3-2.
Pats 4-2 — #32 Mathis Paull (6), assisted by #55 Ephram McNutt & #6 Reese Hamilton at 1:07 // McNutt dipsy doodled around a Hurricanes defender deep in the Lethbridge zone and sent a pass to the front of the net. Paull was there and got enough of a shot to beat Oaten to return the Pats to a two-goal lead.
Hurricanes 4-3 — #11 Kyle Heger (11), assisted by #17 Kai Anderson & #16 Easton Daneault at 4:36 (PP) // The Hurricanes worked the puck around the Pats zone and back to the point with Heger one-timing a slapper past Schlenker to again pull the Hurricanes to within a single tally at 4-3.
Pats 5-3 — #37 Cohen Klassen (12), assisted by #27 Caden Brown at 5:09 // Brown let a shot fly from the left circle, which was deflected and kicked out by Oaten to Klassen, who deposited the rebound to make it 5-3.
Pats 6-3 — #57 Zachary Lansard (21), assisted by #37 Cohen Klassen at 13:13 // Lansard streaked in down his off wing and let a shot fly that beat Oaten to give the Pats a 6-3 lead late in the game.
Hurricanes 6-4 — #16 Easton Daneault (12), assisted by #11 Kyle Heger & #9 Kade Duell at 16:13 (PP) // The Hurricanes got the puck deep to Heger who sent a pass to the front of the net where Daneault chipped it past Schlenker to once again pull the visitors back to within a pair at 6-4.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 15 – 17 – 11 — 43
- Hurricanes: 13 – 10 – 12 — 35
Power Plays
- Pats: 1/5
- Hurricanes: 2/6
Goaltending
- Pats: Marek Schlenker — 31 saves on 35 shots
- Hurricanes: Leif Oaten — 37 saves on 43 shots
Three Stars
- First Star: Mathis Paul (1G-1A)
- Second Star: Cohen Klassen (2G-1A)
- Third Star: Easton Daneault (1G-2A)
COMING UP
The Pats will begin a three-game Alberta road trip starting Sunday, March 8, in Calgary. The trip will continue with a matchup in Medicine Hat on March 10 before wrapping up in Lethbridge on March 11.
