Pats take their turn at big victory to force Game 7

By Les Lazaruk

 

Playoff hockey is about nail-biting games with overtime added in for a little spice…right?

The Regina Pats and Swift Current Broncos, obviously, didn’t receive the memo with the post-season template.

The Queen City Kids forced a seventh and deciding game in the best-of-seven WHL Eastern Conference first round series, racing out to a 4-0 lead before coasting to a 7-2 victory over visiting Speedy Creek. For the fifth time in the six games, the margin of victory was at least three goals with Saturday’s result providing the most lopsided score thus far.

“I have no explanation for (the wild swings in game results from night to night) for both sides. It’s been really strange in that way,” explained Broncos Director of Player Personnel and Head coach Emanuel Viveiros.

“We won a game once 10-1 in the American (Hockey) League and then lost the next two games to lose the series,” related Regina General Manager and Head Coach John Paddock about his experiences with games being won by big margins by two teams in a playoff set.

On Saturday, Robbie Holmes, Cameron Hebig twice and Jake Leschyshyn beat Stuart Skinner to give the Pats a 4-0 lead before the mid-point of the second period. Skinner was replaced by rookie Joel Hofer for the third period after Nick Henry cancelled out Giorgio Estephen’s power play tally in the later stages of the middle frame. Hofer was greeted by the first goals of the series for veteran Regina forwards Sam Steel and Matt Bradley with Max Patterson’s man advantage tally finished up the scoring for the Broncos.

The Pats out-shot Swifty 33-27 with Ryan Kubic stopping 25 shots in the Regina goal. The Queen City Kids were 0-for-6 on the power play while the Broncos were 2-for-5.

Game 7 goes Monday in Swift Current.

“We didn’t lose the series, we lost the game,” explained Viveiros. “Whether we lose 7-1 or 2-1 (Saturday), we still lost the game. But, we have to move on and we’ve got to learn from it and correct some of the stuff that we didn’t do well again. And, we’ve done that in this series. So have they. We’re going to take the positives so far in this series and move forward on Monday.”

“We’ve got to play 60 minutes (in Swift Current). Not going to win the game by not playing 60 minutes,” said Paddock about his team’s key to winning a Game 7. “We have got to stay out of the penalty box. That improves our chances…a lot!”

The series winner advances to an Eastern Conference semi-final against the winner of the Moose Jaw-Raiders set, heading to a Game 6 Sunday night in Prince Albert with the Warriors leading the best-of-seven 3-2.