The Regina Pats put on a special teams show in their home opener on Sunday afternoon and they now find themselves in the Western Hockey League win column.
The Pats scored four times on the power play and once shorthanded as they went on to a 6-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos at the Brandt Centre.
The win sees Regina improve to 1-1-0-1 and move into a tie for eighth in the Eastern Conference, while Swift Current falls to 2-1-0-0 and remain tied for fourth overall.
After some back-and-forth play in the opening five minutes, Regina had a solid chance to take the lead when they received the first power play of the game with 5:44 gone in the contest.
They’d capitalize, as Ossi Tukio walked into the high slot before sending a pass to Parker Trottier in the right faceoff circle, and his one-timer would find Swift Current goaltender Cal Conway’s five hole for a 1-0 lead 7:05 into the game.
Regina carried the play much of the opening 10 minutes, holding an 8-1 lead in shots when the Broncos received their first power play of the game. Swift Current would only manage a couple of long-range shots on goal, though, and no sooner did their man advantage end than did Regina get their second power play of the game.
The Pats struck again, this time when Liam Pue had a couple of cracks at a puck in the crease before putting it home for a 2-0 Regina lead with 6:40 left in the first.
As well as things went for Regina through much of the opening frame, it didn’t take long for things to suddenly go sour.
Swift Current took advantage of their second power play to get on the board, as Kayd Ruedig got off a shot from the point that Taylor Tabashniuk would make the initial save on, but Sawyer Dingman gathered up the rebound and tucked it home with 2:35 left in the period.
Only 53 seconds later, it was a tie game. Stepan Farushev was the beneficiary of a turnover forced by Luke Huska in front of the Pats net, and he’d have all the time and space he needed to slip the puck home and tie things up 2-2.
Seconds after that goal, Tabashniuk had to come up with a big save on Trae Wilke on a two-on-one to keep the game tied.
The change in momentum showed on the shot clock, as the Broncos came all the way back from their early deficit and only trailed 11-10 after the opening period.
Things settled down to start the second, and the teams ended up in a back-and-forth that saw only a couple of shots apiece through the first 10 minutes.
Regina had a great chance to take the lead when they went on a lengthy five-on-three power play with 10:33 gone, and they’d get the job done.
Just after the first power play expired, Trottier broke down his wing and ripped a shot top shelf glove side from the left faceoff circle, making it 3-2 with 9:24 to play in the period.
Swift Current challenged the goal for a potential offside, but to no avail, and Regina went back on the man advantage. The Broncos would have the best scoring chance immediately after the penalty expired, though, as Huska came out of the penalty box on a breakaway but was stymied by Tabashniuk.
That would mark the only major offence of the period, and Regina came away with the 3-2 lead through two.
Conway had to be sharp to start the final frame, stopping Sam Karsay on a breakaway just over two minutes in and then foiling Keets Fawcett on a short two-on-none seconds later.
The Pats had a couple more grade A chances in the next few minutes, and when the Broncos received their next power play, it would be Regina that came up big.
Dayce Derkatch won a battle in the corner against a couple of Broncos and got the puck out to Zach Moore in the slot, and he’d one-time home his first career shorthanded goal to make it 4-2 Regina with 11:54 remaining in the game.
Regina’s power play went back to work with 5:09 to play and they struck for the fourth time in the game. Trottier found Zach Lansard wide open with a cross-ice pass, and Lansard’s one-timer from the left faceoff circle would find the top shelf with 3:25 remaining.
Matt Paranych then finished off scoring on the afternoon in the game’s final minute, potting Regina’s lone five-on-five goal in the game with 41 seconds remaining.
Trottier finished with three points on the night, while Pue, Lansard and Paranych each had a goal and assist apiece. Ellis Mieyette added two assists.
Tabashniuk capped his night with 20 saves, Conway turned aside 27.
Both teams are back in action Friday as Regina travels to Edmonton to face the Oil Kings and Swift Current kicks off their west coast road swing against the Victoria Royals.
