The Regina Pats battled hard until the end, but they lost 3-2 to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday inside the Brandt Centre.
It was another 3-2 final between the Pats and Oil Kings, as all three meetings have ended in 3-2 decisions.
Jack Toogood’s fourth of the season nine seconds after the Pats tied the game at two proved to be the winner on Friday, as the Oil Kings broke their two-game skid. Adam Jecho and Gavin Hodnett also scored for Edmonton, and Ethan Simcoe made 20 saves in his fifth win this season.
Zach Pantelakis and Jace Egland scored for the Pats, while Kelton Pyne made 30 saves in the loss.
FINAL SCORE: Oil Kings 3, Pats 2
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0: Oil Kings at 1:17 – Gavin Hodnett (20), unassisted // Hodnett picked off a pass and deked out Pyne to give the Oil Kings an early 1-0 lead.
1-1: Pats at 6:05 – Zach Pantelakis (8), assisted by Ephram McNutt & Zachary Lansard // McNutt’s shot was stopped by Simcoe, but the puck was stuck under his left pad where Pantelakis got a piece of it to knock it home to tie the game at 1-1.
Second Period
2-1: Oil Kings at 1:13 – Adam Jecho (10), assisted by Lucas Sawchyn & Blake Fiddler (PP) // Sawchyn sent a cross-ice pass to Jecho, who one-timed it off of Pyne’s blocker and past the Pats netminder to make it 2-1 for the visitors.
2-2: Pats at 12:24 – Jace Egland (3), unassisted (SH) // Egland stole the puck high in the Pats zone and, broke in alone and sent a backhander past the Oil Kings netminder to tie the game up at 2-2.
3-2: Oil Kings at 12:33 – Jack Toogood (4), assisted by Luke Powell // Powell, found Toogood wide open in front of the Pats net, and he tapped it home to restore the Oil Kings lead at 3-2.
Third Period
No Scoring.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 8-8-6–22 | Edmonton – 13-10-10–33
PP: Regina – 0/3 | Edmonton – 1/4
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (30 saves / 33 shots)
Edmonton: Ethan Simcoe (20 saves / 22 shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Kelton Pyne (30 Saves) – Pats
Second: Lukas Sawchyn (1A) – Oil Kings
Third: Jace Egland (1G) – Pats
JUST NOTES
- Zach Pantelakis scored his eighth of the season and goals in back-to-back games. He has 10 points (7G-3A) in his last 11 games.
- Jace Egland ended a three-game pointless streak with his first career shorthanded marker.
- Ephram McNutt has notched assists in back-to-back games. He has three assists in his last four games.
- Zach Lansard had an assist and has points (2G-1A) in three straight games. He also has points (2G-2A) in four of his last five games.
- Regina falls to 1-1-1 against Edmonton this season.
- The Pats fell to 12-23-4-2, while the Oil Kings moved to 23-16-1-2.
COMING UP
The Pats will travel to Alberta for a three-game series. They will start in Calgary against the Hitmen on Sunday, January 19th, at 5:00 p.m. (SK Time).
