The Pats made a statement on Saturday night handing the Broncos a 6-2 loss in the back half of a home-and-home. In January, Swift Current was on the winning end of both games in the home-and-home, despite good efforts from the Pats in both games.
Robbie Holmes scored on a shorthanded two-on-one in the middle of the second period to give Regina a 3-2 lead. The Pats did not look back, adding three more. Holmes had a career high four points in the game with the goal and three assists. He was named the first star of the game.
(Photo – Keith Hershmiller)
Beating a team twice in a back-to-back situation can be hard, but Holmes said after the game, “I think the mindset was just playing our game and, you know, they’re a team that has a pretty good goalie, so we just stuck with it and just kept trying to get pucks to the net.”
The Pats took that message and executed it. They recorded 27 shots through two periods, which helped them to a 4-2 lead heading to the third period.
Pats coach Dave Struch has really liked the effort recently, saying, “Trying to create offense the right way, we’re playing defense the right way which is giving us the puck more. It’s not so much about the back-to-back; it’s about the day-to-day process. No matter what we’re doing, we’re trying to do the same things everyday, practice, days off, in games, so it gives us a chance to win every night.”
Riley Krane opened the scoring 3:38 into the game. he was on the doorstep and deposited a rebound from Holmes’ wraparound attempt to give the Pats the early lead.
Swift Current then tied it up on the power play. Aiden Bulych tipped an Alex Moar point shot at the 11:37 mark of the opening period.
Drew Englot gave Regina the lead back less than four minutes later. He went to the net as Holmes was shooting and got his stick on it, deflecting the puck past Isaac Poulter. Englot was named third star of the game.
Englot now has two goals and an assist in the three games since returning from a bout with appendicitis that kept him out for over three weeks. After the game, he said, “It feels really good actually. The pressure’s off because coming back I thought it’d be a little rusty. (I’ve) started potting some goals. It feels good.
Early in the second period, Matthew Benson tied the game up for the Broncos again. His shot deflected off a stick and got past Donovan Buskey high over his right shoulder.
Holmes then scored his shorthanded marker at 10:05. He and Logan Nijhoff combined for the two-on-one chance. Holmes almost lost the puck but was able to recover and sneak a shot through the five hole.
Late in the second period, Holmes led another two-on-one. He was able to get a pass over to Riley Krane but the shot was stopped. Ryker Evans jumped all over the loose puck in the slot and deposited it in the back of the net.
(Photo – Keith Hershmiller)
Zack Smith got in on the action in the third period as he jumped on a loose puck and snuck it under Poulter’s right arm. Carson Denomie then swatted home a blocked Ryker Evans point shot to finish out the scoring and seal the Regina victory.
The Pats are now on the road. They head to Alberta for a three-game road trip, visiting Medicine Hat on Tuesday, Calgary on Wednesday and finish in Edmonton on Friday.
Pats Stats
Pats starting netminder Donovan Buskey made 17 saves on 19 shots.
Swift Current starter Isaac Poulter stopped 30 of 36 shots.
Regina scored one power-play goal on five chances. Swift Current was successful once in four tries.
Riley Krane was named second star of the game with one goal and one assist.
Regina’s Carson Denomie scored three times in the two-game series versus the Broncos.
Broncos forward Aiden Bulych ended his seven-game goalless drought with a goal Saturday night.
