On Friday night in Saskatoon it only took 1:14 for Kyle Crnkovic to win the game for the Blades in overtime. On Saturday night in Regina it took 4:13 in the extra frame for Crnkovic to bury the winner. The goal capped off a two goal and two assist performance which earned Crnkovic the first star.
(Photo – Keith Hershmiller)
The Pats picked up the first three goals of the game. Zach Wytinck, Jacob Brook and Austin Pratt all scored in the first period. Saskatoon responded late in the first, when Nolan Kneen scored with five seconds left to start the comeback.
After the game Pats head coach Dave Struch said “I don’t think that we played good at all. Being up three nothing there in the first period, I think that we were very fortunate.”
Saskatoon scored the next three goals. Tristen Robins, Crnkovic and Scott Walford all scored in the second period to give the Blades a 4-3 lead heading to the final frame.
On Friday night, Logan Nijhoff tied up the game with 44 seconds remaining, Saturday it was Wytinck. With 1:46 remaining Wytinck scored on the power play, to send the game to overtime for a second straight night between these two teams.
“We got a resilient bunch. Obviously we would like to keep the leads that we have, but of course that wasn’t the case. So I think there’s lots of credit to go around for our push back in the third period. We just need a little more,” said Logan Nijhoff on the late game responses recently.
“As bad as we played (in) the first 40 minutes, we still have a chance to win a hockey game. A little bit of momentum in the third, scored the goal, and get the point. The overall game for us as individuals was sloppy at best, and our team game wasn’t very good,” said Struch postgame.
(Photo – Liam Richards)
Robins, a player whom the Pats had to give up in the Memorial Cup year, has come back to haunt Regina. On Saturday, Robins had a goal and two assists. For the season he has three goals and four assists in the five games versus Regina.
Postgame Struch was asked if he saw Robins being this good. “Yeah and so did Saskatoon,” he replied. Struch continued, “Great player, skill wise (and) work ethic. That becomes the sacrifice with hosting the Memorial Cup. The players that we got, were really good for us at the time too. He’s a good player for them, he’s gonna be even better as he gets older. You move on, he’s a good kid and you wish him all the success in the world.”
Pats Stats
Donovan Buskey returned to action after missing the past two games with a lower body injury. He stopped 34-of-39 shots and was named second star of the game.
Koen MacInnes got the start in net for the Blades and made 20 saves on 24 shots.
Jakob Brook‘s first period tally was his first in a Pats uniform.
Saskatoon received seven power plays, converting twice. Regina was one-for-four with the extra man.
The Pats power play has dropped to 20th in the league. They have scored only seven times in the past 21 games on 79 opportunities.
Robins has 14 points (6G, 8A) in the last eight games.
With four points in the last three games, Wytinck now has a new career high in points with 47. Last year he amassed 44 points. Zach was named third star of the game.
