The Regina Pats capped off their 17th annual Cancer Awareness Game with a 6–4 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre. The Pats put together a strong offensive effort to earn their second win of the season.
Goaltender Taylor Tabashniuk recorded his first career WHL victory, Ephram McNutt scored twice for his first multi-goal game, and Ruslan Karimov notched his first goal as a Pat.
The Pats jumped out to a commanding 3–0 lead in the first period with goals from Zach Lansard, Karimov, and McNutt. Brandon got on the board early in the second, but McNutt restored the three-goal cushion with his second of the night on the power play. After Kolten Bridgeman made it 5–2 late in the frame, the Wheat Kings rallied with a pair of third-period goals to close the gap to 5–4.
With time winding down, Caden Brown sealed the win with an empty-net, power-play goal at 19:52.
Regina outshot Brandon 38–19 and went 3-for-7 on the power play, while the Wheat Kings finished 2-for-4. Tabashniuk made 15 saves on 19 shots, and Brandon’s Filip Ruzicka turned aside 32 of 37 in the loss.
FINAL: Regina Pats 6, Brandon What Kings 4
THE GOALS
First Period
Pats 1-0 — #57 Zach Lansard (4), assisted by #72 Julien Maze at 9:33 // Lansard was found alone in front and beat Filip Ruzicka with a beautiful backhand inside the crease to open the scoring.
Pats 2-0 — #36 Ruslan Karimov (1), assisted by #44 Matt Paranych & #11 Dayce Derkatch at 13:23 // Derkatch sent the puck to the front of the net where Karimov’s first shot was stopped, but he buried the rebound to increase the lead.
Pats 3-0 — #55 Ephram McNutt (2), assisted by #30 Taylor Tabashniuk at 15:11 (PP) // McNutt went coast-to-coast, faking a pass at the attacking line before finding himself on a partial breakaway, beating Filip Ruzicka with a slick backhander.
Second Period
Wheat Kings 3-1 — #19 Carter Klippenstein (2), assisted by #17 Joby Baumuller & #13 Jordan Gavin at 2:11 // Baumuller lifted a backhand off the crossbar that redirected into the middle for Klippenstein, who whacked the puck into the open net.
Pats 4-1 — #55 Ephram McNutt (3), assisted by #27 Caden Brown & #6 Reese Hamilton at 4:14 (PP) // Brown fed the puck over to McNutt at the left circle, and he blasted home his second of the game on the power play.
Wheat Kings 4-2 — #17 Joby Baumuller (4), assisted by #84 Giorgos Pantelas & #10 Caleb Hadland at 8:19 (PP) // Baumuller one-timed the puck into the top corner from the left circle to make it a two-goal game.
Pats 5-2 — #4 Kolten Bridgeman (1), assisted by #21 Ellis Mieyette & #44 Matt Paranych at 19:27 // Mieyette outwaited the defender and slid the puck to the slot, where Bridgeman snapped it home to extend the lead.
Third Period
Wheat Kings 5-3 — #10 Caleb Hadland (4), assisted by #6 Cameron Allard & #5 Dylan Ronald at 11:01 // Hadland was parked outside the crease and sent home a bouncing puck to get Brandon back on the board.
Wheat Kings 5-4 — #11 Chase Surkan (8), assisted by #26 Luke Mistelbacher & #9 Jaxon Jacobson at 13:36 (PP) // Regina product Chase Surkan let a wrist shot go from the high slot on the power play to make it a one-goal game.
Pats 6-4 — #27 Caden Brown (4), assisted by #72 Julien Maze & #6 Reese Hamilton at 19:52 (PP) // With the net empty, Maze found Brown for a breakaway at centre, and he deposited the puck into the open net.
Shots on Goal
- Pats: 17 – 15 – 6 — 38
- Wheat Kings: 3 – 9 – 7 — 19
Power Plays
- Pats: 3/7
- Wheat Kings: 2/4
Goaltending
- Pats: Taylor Tabashniuk — 15 saves on 19 shots
- Wheat Kings: Filip Ruzicka — 32 saves on 37 shots
COMING UP
The Regina Pats continue their busy October schedule next week, hosting the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday at the Brandt Centre. The club will then head out on a brief Alberta road trip, visiting the Red Deer Rebels on Friday and the Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday.
