The Regina Pats allowed three goals in the third period, falling to the Saskatoon Blades 5-2 on Saturday at the Brandt Centre.
After a 2-2 tie going into the third, local product Ben Riche put the Blades ahead 3-2 just 34 seconds into the frame. After a handful of chances for Regina, including several on a power play later in the frame, the Blades would grab insurance, taking a 4-2 lead.
The Pats tied the game twice before having their four-game point streak end. First, Zackary Shantz evened the score at one less than a minute into the second. Then, Zach Pantelakis tied things up at two, going into the third with 20 seconds to play in the second.
The Pats outshot the Blades 34-25 overall in all three periods. Saskatoon didn't recorditsr first shot until midway through the first period.
The Blades improved to 19-10-2-2 this season, while the Pats dropped to 9-18-4-2.
FINAL SCORE: Blades 5, Pats 2
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0: Blades at 9:54 – Brandon Lisowsky (21), assisted by Ben Riche & Grayden Siepmann (PP) // Lisowsky got the puck at the edge of the left circle and let a wrist shot go that beat a screened Pyne to give the Blades a 1-0 lead midway through the first frame.
Second Period
1-1: Pats at 55 seconds – Zackary Shantz (9), assisted by Julien Maze // Shantz, gained the Blades blueline, got around the defender, broke in alone and deked McCallum out before finishing a backhander to even things up at 1-1.
2-1: Blades at 13:20 – Hudson Kibblewhite (5), assisted by Colten Worthington & Grayden Siepmann // A Blades' shot went wide and bounced off the back boards to Kibblewhite behind the Pats net, where he banked the puck off Pyne and in to give the Blades a 2-1 lead.
2-2: Pats at 19:39—Zach Pantelakis (4), assisted by Julien Maze, received a pass from Maze and went one-on-one with a Blades defender. As he cut across the sl, he let a shot go that beaMcCallum's far side to even things up at 2-2 late in the second period.
Third Period
3-2: Blades at 34 seconds – Ben Riche (20), assisted by Tyler Parr & Ben Saunderson // Parr's shot was stopped, but Riche got behind Pat's defence and tucked the puck past Pyne to give the Blades a 3-2 lead early in the third period.
4-2: Blades at 13:57 – Misha Volotovskii (4), assisted by Hudson Kibblewhite // The Blades got the puck deep in the Pats zone and after a bounce, the puck got to Volotovskii in front of the Pats net, and he outwaited, Pyne and scored to make it 4-2 Blades.
5-2: Blades at 16:31 – Colten Worthington (2), assisted by Hudson Kibblewhite (EN) // Worthington, hit the neutral zone's empty cage to give the Blades a 5-2 lead.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 10-10-14–34 | Saskatoon – 8-8-9–24
PP: Regina – 0/5 | Saskatoon – 1/3
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (17 saves / 24 shots)
Saskatoon: Ethan McCallum (32 saves / 34 shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Zackary Shantz (1G) – Pats
Second: Ben Riche (1G-1A) – Blades
Third: Zach Pantelakis (1G) – Pats
JUST NOTES
- Zach Pantelakis is on a three-game goal-scoring streak and has four points (3G-1A) in his last six games.
- Zackary Shantz set a new career-high with his ninth goal of the season. He now has 10 points (3G-7A) in his last eight games.
- Julien Maze picked up a pair of assists, giving him eight points (1G-7A) in 10 games with the Pats.
COMING UP
The Pats end the 2024 schedule on Tuesday, December 31, when they clash with the Warriors in Moose Jaw. The club opens the 2025 schedule on Wednesday, January 1, after finishing the home-and-home series with the Warriors at the Brandt Centre. Get your tickets at reginapats.com.
