REGINA — The Regina Pat Canadians are returning to the Telus Cup U18 AAA hockey championship.
The defending national champions took a 5-1 victory over the Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors in the Western Regional final on Sunday afternoon and as a result will have a chance to defend their 2025 title in two weeks’ time.
Moose Jaw had put together a perfect record in the round robin, including a 6-3 win over the Manitoba champion Winnipeg Bruins, 6-2 victory against Regina and 6-1 win over Northwestern Ontario’s Thunder Bay Kings. Regina had a 2-1 round robin showing, with a 13-1 win over Thunder Bay and 3-2 victory over Winnipeg.
It took absolutely no time for Regina to get on the board in the final, and it was exactly who you’d expect who got the job done.
Maddox Schultz was left all alone on his wing and took a cross ice feed from Ryder Doka to go in on a breakaway from the Moose Jaw blue line, and he’d lift a backhand over Warriors goaltender Steven Wawryk for the 1-0 lead only 18 seconds in.
Moose Jaw had the majority of ice time as the first period continued, but Regina’s first power play of the game led to their second goal.
The penalty had just expired when a shot from the right faceoff circle by Grady Hodgins rebounded right out front to Brady Vipond, and he’d put home a shot into the wide open net with 3”44 remaining in the period.
That’s where things sat until just after the five minute mark of the second when the Warriors took advantage of their second power play to get on the board.
Maxx Fuessel got off the initial shot in close, and while Adam Muntain made the initial save, Jamie Kirwan was able to poke the puck home during the initial scramble to make it a 2-1 contest.
Each team had a couple chances on the man advantage as the second period progressed, and it would be the Pat Cs who capitalized.
Schultz ripped a shot from the high slot for his second goal of the game and eighth of the tournament with 1:32 to play in the frame, and the Pat Cs had control of the contest heading into the third period.
Regina then extended their lead with 8:39 to play in the game, as Mahlon Wiley broke up the right wing, beat a defender to the outside and got off a shot in close that trickled past Wawryk’s left pad and into the net.
Regina’s Liam Pue then finished off scoring on the afternoon with an empty netter with 2:20 to play in the game.
Muntain finished with 29 saves in the win, Wawryk turned aside 29.
Regina will now have a couple weeks off before heading to Peterborough, Ont. for the Telus Cup national tournament, with action running from April 20-26.
