The Regina Pats erupted for a season-best seven goals in a commanding 7-1 win over the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday afternoon at the Brandt Centre.
The Pats came out firing early, scoring three times in the opening nine minutes. Ruslan Karimov opened the scoring at 5:15 with a strong drive to the net for his second of the season, followed by Reese Hamilton jumping on a rebound just over two minutes later to make it 2-0. Moments after, Ephram McNutt extended the lead to 3-0 at 8:24, capitalizing on a loose puck in front. The Broncos responded just five seconds later when Zach Pantelakis fired a shot off the bar and in to make it 3-1, but that was all Swift Current could muster.
In the second period, Caden Brown picked off a pass at centre ice and rifled home his team-leading 14th goal of the season to restore the three-goal cushion. Zachary Lansard then added a power-play tally at 15:46, redirecting a Keets Fawcett slap pass to make it 5-1.
The Pats continued to pour it on in the third, with Lansard striking again on the man advantage — this time with a slick move in tight for his second of the night and 10th of the year. Dayce Derkatch capped the scoring with his first as a Pat, finishing off a Cohen Klassen feed on a two-on-one shorthanded rush at 13:54.
Marek Schlenker was sharp once again, making 22 saves for his third straight victory. Five Pats finished with multi-point games, led by Lansard (2G-1A) and Karimov (1G-2A), while Hamilton, McNutt, and Derkatch each chipped in a goal and an assist.
With the win, Regina takes a 2-1 edge in the season series against Swift Current and improves to 7-3-0-1 in its last 11 games — averaging 4.6 goals per contest over that stretch.
FINAL: Regina Pats 7, Swift Current Broncos 1
THE GOALS
First Period
Pats 1-0 — #25 Ruslan Karimov (2), assisted by #22 Shea Rollason & #3 Jonas Kohn at 5:15 // Karimov used his size and drove to the front of the net, sneaking it past the outstretched pad of Joey Rocha to open the scoring.
Pats 2-0 — #6 Reese Hamilton (3), assisted by #57 Zachary Lansard & #55 Ephram McNutt at 7:31 // Hamilton jumped in on the rebound and found a bouncing puck at the left side, snapping it past Rocha to extend the lead.
Pats 3-0 — #55 Ephram McNutt (4), assisted by #49 Dayce Derkatch & #25 Ruslan Karimov at 8:24 // McNutt quietly skated his way into open ice and found a loose puck just outside the crease, flipping it into the open net to increase the lead.
Pats 3-1 — #34 Zach Pantelakis (6), unassisted at 8:29 // Just five seconds after the Pats’ goal, Pantelakis ripped a shot high off the bar and in to put Swift Current on the board.
Second Period
Pats 4-1 — #27 Caden Brown (14), unassisted at 8:12 // Brown intercepted a pass at centre, skated across the line, and ripped the puck into the top-right corner to make it 4-1.
Pats 5-1 — #57 Zachary Lansard (9), assisted by #10 Keets Fawcett & #6 Reese Hamilton at 15:46 (PP) // Fawcett sent a hard slap pass to the front of the net, where Lansard had the puck go off his skate and in.
Third Period
Pats 6-1 — #57 Zachary Lansard (10), assisted by #25 Ruslan Karimov & #10 Keets Fawcett at 9:40 (PP) // Lansard made a pretty move in the slot, pulling to his backhand before roofing the puck past Aiden Eskit.
Pats 7-1 — #49 Dayce Derkatch (1), assisted by #37 Cohen Klassen at 13:54 (SH) // Klassen skated into the Broncos’ zone on the right side on a two-on-one and slipped a pass to the front of the net, where Derkatch deposited home his first as a Pat.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 10 – 13 – 14 — 37
- Broncos: 7 – 6 – 9 — 22
Power Plays
- Pats: 2/4
- Broncos: 0/2
Goaltending
- Pats: Marek Schlenker — 21 saves on 22 shots
- Warriors: Joey Rocha — 17 saves on 22 shots & Aiden Eskit — 15 saves on 17 shots
Three Stars
- First Star: #25 Ruslan Karimov (1G-2A)
- Second Star: #57 Zachary Lansard (2G-1A)
- Third Star: #22 Shea Rollason (1A)
COMING UP
The Regina Pats wrap up their homestand next weekend with games against the Medicine Hat Tigers (Nov. 14) and Moose Jaw Warriors (Nov. 15) at the Brandt Centre. After that, the Pats hit the road for a six-game U.S. trip, beginning November 19 in Spokane.
