Zackary Shantz scored the tying goal in the third period, and the Pats got a well-earned point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Prince Albert Raiders on Tuesday at the Brandt Centre.
The Pats finally got the bounces tonight, and yet another solid performance from Kelton Pyne, stopping 28 of 31. With the Raiders taking a 3-2 lead into the third period, Shantz scored a power-play goal to tie the game at three early in the frame. Later, Aiden Oiring missed a wide-open net for the Raiders and the Pats killed off a crucial penalty kill in the dying minutes.
Cole Temple and Braxton Whitehead also scored for the Pats, while John Babcock chipped in with a pair of assists. The Pats registered a season-high 40 shots, outshooting the Raiders 10-7 in the third and 7-1 in overtime.
Tomas Mrsic scored the shootout winner, as well as a power-play goal in the third period. Max Hildebrand made 37 saves in the Raiders victory, taking a 2-1 season series lead over the Pats.
FINAL SCORE: Raiders 4, Pats 3 (S/O)
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0: Raiders at 9:24 – Ty Meunier (3), assisted by Lukas Dragicevic & Vojtech Vochvest // Dragicevic's shot went off bodies in front, and Meunier found the puck and he tucked it past Kelton Pyne to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead midway through the first.
1-1: Pats at 19:20 – Cole Temple (3), assisted by Jaxsin Vaughan & Zach Lansard // Off an offensive zone face-off, Temple got the puck, took it to the slot, and sent it through Max Hildebrand's five-hole to pull the Pats even at 1-1 late in the first period.
Second Period
2-1: Pats at 1:37 – Braxton Whitehead (2), assisted by Cohen Klassen & John Babcock // Whitehead's shot bounced off the glass behind the Raiders net, off the net itself, then off Hildebrand's back and in to give the Pats a 2-1 lead early in the second.
2-2: Raiders at 12:16 – Luke Moroz (2), assisted by Brayden Dube & Justice Christiansen (PP) // From the left circle, Dube fired a cross-ice pass to Moroz who buried the one-timer past Pyne to even things up at 2-2 on the powerplay.
3-2: Raiders at 15:42 – Tomas Mrsic (8), assisted by Lukas Dragicevic (PP) // Dragicevic passed it to Mrsic at the top of the left circle and he fired a shot past Pyne to give the Raiders a 3-2 lead with another powerplay goal.
Third Period
3-3: Pats at 3:52 – Zackary Shantz (5), assisted by Anthony Wilson & John Babcock (PP) // With the Pats on a rush, Wilson sent a pass to Shantz who got past a defender and fired the puck high over Hildebrand's glove hand to tie the game up at 3-3.
Overtime
No scoring.
Shootout
Pats: Spencer - no goal
Raiders: Oiring - no goal
Pats: Howe - no goal
Raiders: Mrsic - goal
Pats: Shantz - no goal
Raiders win.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 11-12-10-7–40 | Prince Albert – 8-15-7-1–31
PP: Regina – 1/3 | Prince Albert – 2/4
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (28 saves / 31 shots)
Prince Albert: Max Hildebrand (37 saves / 40 shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Zackary Shantz (1G) – Pats
Second: John Babcock (2A) – Pats
Third: Lukas Dragicevic (2A) – Raiders
COMING UP
The Regina Pats will play the second game of their three-game homestand on Friday at 7 p.m. against the Brandon Wheat Kings. They will then play the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m.
