In week four of the Pats history series; we encounter a couple of trades. Do boat clubs play hockey? Well, yeah. A TSN televised game, some back-checking “fiends”, and a first career hat-trick all happened during this week.
This week we cover January 11 to 17
January 11
1929: The Pats beat the Moose Jaw Maroons 10-4 before 600 fans in Moose Jaw. The Pats scored first and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The Pats’ floodgates opened in the second period, scoring seven times to take an 8-1 lead into the third period. Moose Jaw still battled, scoring three times in the third, but the Pats added two more to win 10-4.
“The Pats played a spectacular defensive game. They back-checked like fiends and the weighty defence boys, Dodge and Jerwa worked together to perfection.” – Bill Thompson, Regina Leader
Ab Holt led the way for the Pats scoring a pair of goals and adding two assists. Art Sihvon and Gord Pettinger each scored twice and picked up an assist for three points. Mike Ursaki, Harry Willis, Ross Beatty, and Frank Jerwa all scored singles to round out the scoring. Alex Wood made 24 saves in the win.
Lloyd Camyre, John Pearson, Jim Dewey, and Merrick Cranstoun replied for the Maroons. Glen Davis was in goal for the full sixty minutes allowing 10 goals on 38 shots.
January 12
1923: The Pats scored three goals in each frame as they beat the Regina Boat Club 9-2 to open the season. Sil Acaster led the way with a hat-trick and an assist, scored a goal in each period. Harvey Naismith, Eric Pettinger, and Emory Collins each nabbed a pair of goals in the win. Naismith and Collins also added an assist. The Pats’ new goaltender, Cliff Schwindt picked up the win.
“As for the Pats, suffice it to say that Regina has little cause to fear for the success of her crack junior hockey team this winter.” – Regina Leader
The only other team in the Regina league, the Boat Club, was overmatched from start to finish in the contest. Frank Ingram and Lane replied for the Boat Club. Despite the 9-2 score, the Boat Club netminder Frank Foster played well. “Foster’s work was sensational in spots. He robbed the Pats of some sure goals in close-in shots, but allowed one or two telegraphic drives to drift past him for easy tallies.”
January 13
1988-89
1991: The Pats played host to the Moose Jaw Warriors and pulled out a 9-2 win before 2,224 at the Agridome. As the game was televised on TSN, the Pats had to overcome some initial jitters and cruised to the win. The Pats won their fourth-straight game outshooting the Warriors 53-25.
“It’s definitely a privilege (to play on TV), but there are a lot of distractions. The players knew everyone was watching and, in the first period, we were playing with nervousness.
Then there was a commercial break – thank goodness – and we had a chance to get the guys settled down. I told them not to think about being on TV, to just keep it simple.” – Brad Tippett, Pats head coach
Mike Sillinger scored twice and added an assist to extend his point streak to 22 games. Brad Scott also scored twice in the win. Greg Pankewicz had four points on a goal and 3 assists. Terry Bendera, Kelly Chotowetz, Derek Eberle, and Jamie Heward also scored for the Pats. Frank Kovacs and Louis Dumont added two helpers in the win. Dusty Imoo made 23 saves in goal for the Pats.
Kevin Smyth and Bob Loucks replied for the Warriors. Jason Fitzsimmons started for the Warriors before being replaced by Jeff Calvert early in the third. Fitzsimmons made 30 saves while Calvert kicked out 14.
January 14
1983: The Pats took 2-0 and 4-2 leads after the first two periods. They then went on to score six more times in the third to beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 10-2. The Pats outshot the Wheat Kings 45-24, including 18-5 in the third period.
1982-83 Pats Player Card
Dale Derkatch and John Bekkers each picked up four points in the win. Derkatch with two goals and two assists and Bekkers with a goal and three assists. Taylor Hall notched a goal and two assists. Doug Trapp and Marc Centrone each with a goal and an assist. Lyndon Byers, Bobby Lowes, Brad Wells, and Dave Goertz rounded out the scoring for the Pats. Gary Leeman and Rick Nasheim each posted a pair of helpers. Todd Lumbard made 22 saves in net for the win.
1981-82 Pats Player Card
“Our guys decided to come out in the third period and do some things to put the game away. I didn’t tell them to go out and bury the Wheat Kings, it’s just a feeling the kids got.” – Don Boyd, Pats head coach
Darwin Penney and Byron Lomow replied for the Wheat Kings. Ron Loustel went the distance making 35 saves along the way.
January 15
1999: The Pats, sitting at 17-27-1 needed to get started building to host the 2001 Memorial Cup. They pulled the trigger and traded top defenseman Brad Stuart to the Calgary Hitmen. In return, the Pats acquired left-winger Ryan Geremia, goaltender Donald Choukalos, and two bantam draft picks. The picks were a third-rounder in 1999 and a fourth-rounder in 2000.
Coming… 19-year-old Geremia suited up for 27 games with the Pats to close out the season. He scored four times and added four assists for the non-playoff Pats. He did not play for the Pats as a 20-year-old.
Choukalos, a 17-year-old goaltender came to the Pats with 19 games of WHL experience in the Calgary net. He went on to play in 24 of the teams’ final 27 games that season. As the starter, he played in 142 regular-season games. He went 65-59-10 with five shutouts and a 3.61 goals-against-average. He went 4-8 in 13 playoff appearances. In the Memorial Cup, he went 0-2 with a 4.50 GAA before being replaced by Chad Davidson. He was selected by the Vancouver Giants in the 2001 expansion draft.
The Pats traded many draft picks, and they cannot be easily tracked.
2001 Regina Pats Poster
Going… Originally a third-round pick, Stuart played 161 games with the Pats. He scored 37 goals and added 100 assists. A twenty-goal scorer in 1997-98, he was selected third overall in the NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. He had just recently returned to the Pats after winning a silver medal at the 1999 World Juniors.
January 16
1997: The Pats acquired defenseman Dan Focht from the Tri-City Americans. The Pats sent Clint Orr, Ryan Thomas, a second-round pick, and future considerations to the Americans. The future considerations were if Focht were to return as a 20-year-old.
Coming… Focht, a Raymore, Saskatchewan product was the 11th overall pick by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1996 Entry Draft. He became the third first-rounder on the Pats from that draft, joining Josh Holden and Derek Morris. Focht went on to play 22 games the rest of the way, scoring two goals to go with two assists with 59 PIM. He played five playoff games collecting two assists and eight PIM. He did not return for his overage year, as he turned pro.
Going… Orr was originally a tenth-round pick in the 1994 Bantam Draft by the Pats. A young defender played 70 games over parts of two seasons for the Pats. He picked up two goals and six assists in those 70 games. No playoff games.
Thomas was the 30th overall selection in the 1996 Bantam Draft by the Pats. The local product was just a young prospect when he was traded. He had suited up in five games for the Pats prior to the trade.
January 17
1993: Barry Becker’s return to the Agridome did not go as planned. He was in net as the Chiefs took it on the chin, losing 12-4 to the Pats.
“I had felt no pressure at all the whole road trip. But coming back here, I went right back to my old ways. I put the old pressure on myself and played the way I used to play, rather that the way I can play.” – Barry Becker
Only 1,736 fans were in attendance to watch Trevor Hanas score his first career hat-trick. He also added a helper in the win. Louis Dumont and Russ Gronick each scored a pair of goals in the Pats attack. Karry Biette had four points on a goal and three assists. Niklas Barklund ended a 29-game pointless streak with a goal. Chris Zulyniak, Grayden Reid, and Jeff Friesen also scored for the Pats. Mike Risdale made 26 saves to pick up the win.
Spokane was led by Scott Townsend who picked up a hat-trick. Jason Podollan scored the Chiefs’ other marker. Becker and Rich Parent combined to face 39 shots.
Both teams were without top players. The Chiefs without their top two scorers, Valeri Bure and Maxim Bets. The Pats were missing Jason Smith and Jeff Shantz. Bure, Smith, and Shantz were off to the CHL all-star game in Montreal. Bets was stuck in Russia with visa problems.
Final Thoughts
Another interesting week in Pats’ history. It is interesting to note that this week included a couple of trades. What we know as the WHL trade deadline of January 10 has only been set for a few seasons. There will be more trades in future pieces. Along with trades, there will be many more interesting tidbits to come.
