The Regina Pats returned to the win column in style on Wednesday night, getting an 18-save performance from Taylor Tabashniuk on their way to a 6-0 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Western Hockey League action at the Brandt Centre.
One other game involving Saskatchewan teams saw the Saskatoon Blades pick up their second-straight victory with a 3-2 shootout win over the Everett Silvertips.
Regina 6, Seattle 0
There was little to choose between the two teams in the early going, but once the Pats got rolling, there was no stopping them.
Regina scored five goals in the second period — including three in a span of three minutes — to pull away for good against their Western Conference opponents.
Sam Karsay got things started at the 4:24 mark of the period before Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue found the back of the net at 6:26 and 7:45 respectively to give the Pats a 3-0 lead.
Zach Lansard then made it a four-goal edge two minutes after Pue’s marker and Mathis Paull wrapped up the outburst with 3:48 to play in the frame.
Connor Bear scored on the power play midway through the third to wrap up the offence on the night.
That was all more than enough for Tabashniuk, who picked up his first career shutout while never facing more than 10 shots in a period.
Schultz, Bear and Karsay all had two points, Matt Paranych picked up a pair of assists.
Marek Sklenicka turned aside 22 shots through two periods of work for Seattle, Grayson Malinoski had 10 saves in the third.
Regina improves to 5-4-0-1 and move into a tie for sixth in the Eastern Conference, Seattle falls to 3-5-0-1 and are 10th in the Western Conference.
Saskatoon 3, Everett 2 (SO)
The Blades had an answer for everything the defending WHL champs threw at them on Wednesday, and that led to the narrow victory at SaskTel Centre.
After a scoreless first period, Henry Meier got the visitors on the board 3:14 into the second, but Hayden Harsanyi replied for the Blades with 3:10 remaining in the frame to tie things up.
Everett restored their lead on a goal from Rhys Jamieson at 8:35 of the final frame, but the edge didn’t last long, as Cooper Williams replied for the Blades less than two minutes later.
That’s where things sat through the remainder of the game and overtime, and the teams were off to the shootout.
There, Williams and Harsanyi scored on back-to-back attempts to secure the victory for the Blades.
Martin Psohlavec turned aside 31 shots to pick up the win, including three of five in the shootout. Bennett Byers had 33 saves for the Silvertips.
Saskatoon is now 6-3-1-0 and alone in fourth place, Everett falls to 3-5-1-2 and are in ninth.
Up Next
All five Saskatchewan teams are in action on Friday night, with Moose Jaw at Regina, Everett at Prince Albert, Swift Current at Lethbridge and Saskatoon at Edmonton. All start times are 7 p.m.
