In the final Trans-Canada Clash of the season, the Regina Pats (9-10-2-1) beat the Moose Jaw Warriors (8-12-2-0). Cole Dubinsky’s goal and assist led the way for the Pats in a 4-1 victory.
It was the first time in the season series there would be no extra time or comeback. The Pats took a four-goal lead early in the third period and held on for the win.
The Warriors came out on fire taking much of the early play but could not take advantage.
Dubinsky opened the scoring for the Pats when his shot somehow got through Moose Jaw goaltender Brett Mirwald. The powerplay marker was his fifth of the season. Ryker Evans and Carson Denomie assisted on the 1-0 goal at 8:02 of the first period.
The Warriors kept pressing using their speed and forechecking throughout the early stages of the second. Pat netminder Roddy Ross stood tall and stopped all the shots on the early pressure.
“We talk a lot about energy givers and energy takers and right now our goaltending has been good. They should be giving us energy and we took it tonight,” Pats head coach Dave Struch pointed out. “We needed (Roddy) in the first. You’ve got to give Moose Jaw lots of credit – they came hard. We were hemmed in lots, but Roddy made some good saves, and we had some good puck luck. Our defensive game has come a long way since the first five, six games.”
Ross was strong and stopped all 14 shots fired his way through twenty minutes.
The Pats added to their lead when Layton Feist scored on the powerplay. He ripped a shot from the top of the right circle that beat the Warrior goaltender. His fifth of the season at 15:30 gave the Pats a two-goal lead. Sloan Stanick and Kyle Walker assisted on the 2-0 goal.
“We’ve liked our special teams this year. Obviously, we’ve had Connor, who’s been a big part of it, but since he’s been gone, we’ve had some really good looks,” said Struch whose team went 2-for-3 on the powerplay and killed all five penalties. ”Even tonight we had two or three good chances before scoring and that’s big for us.”
Just 13 seconds later Drew Englot extended the Pats lead to three goals. Stanick won the puck beside the Warrior goal fed the puck to Englot who turned and fired home his second of the season to give the Pats a 3-0 lead at 15:43.
The 3-0 goal prompted a goaltender change for the Warriors. Boston Bilous replaced Mirwald between the pipes.
Late in a penalty kill, Zack Smith scored his fourth of the season to give the Pats a four-goal lead. Dubinsky got the puck up to Smith who broke in on his off wing and ripped home a shorthanded goal from the top of the circle. The Pats were now leading 4-0 just 3:15 into the third period.
Cory King scored his second goal of the season when his shot is deflected by a Pat defenseman. The puck fluttered to the Pat goal and Ross whiffed on the puck getting the Warriors on the board at 7:14 of the final frame.
Carter Chorney was hauled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot at 13:11. Bilous held his ground and stopped Chorney’s attempt.
The Pats held on and any chance of a comeback fell short when the final buzzer sounded.
“We’re playing good. It sucks that we’re doing it now, but it is what it is. It sucks we couldn’t do it at the start, but it’s nice to see this happening,” said Ross of his and the Pats’ strong play of late.
“It’s really big that we’re playing good now and it’s a lot of fun.”
“It’s something that we’ve learned to figure out this situation in order for us to play good,” Ross said of adjusting to the Hub. “In the end, it’s been interesting. It means a lot for all the sacrifices that everyone did for this to happen. It’s really huge and we’re just making the most of it.”
“I just want to have fun with them,” Denomie said of his last two WHL games on the horizon. “There’s no playoffs this year, but that doesn’t mean we really don’t have anything to play for, you’ve still got your pride and give all the people who are watching a good performance. I’m hoping that it will be fun.”
“Win,” Ross said when asked about heading into the final two games of his WHL career. “End off with a bang.”
Patterings: With an assist on Dubinsky’s first-period goal, Evans extended his point streak to 12 games… Smith returned to the lineup after missing four games with an injury… The Pats’ second last game of the season happens Sunday against the Brandon Wheat Kings at 8 p.m.
