The Regina Pats overcame two two-goal deficits but fell short in a 7-5 loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday at the Brandt Centre.
After scoring the opening goal, the Pats allowed three quick goals late in the first and trailed 3-2 after the opening frame. Then, after the Broncos extended their lead to 4-2, Zach Pantelakis scored twice later to tie things up at 4-4 going into the third.
Unfortunately, the Pats got into penalty trouble in the third period. The Broncos would capitalize on two five-on-three power plays early in the third to go up 6-4.
Hunter Mayo led the way for Swift Current with five points (2G-3A), while Rylan Gould recorded a hat-trick and an assist for a four-point game. Luke Mistelbacher tallied four assists, and Reid Dyck made 25 saves as the Broncos broke their three-game skid.
For the Pats, Jace Egland (1G-1A), Kolten Bridgeman (2A), Sam Failler (2A) and Cameron Kuzma (2A) also had multi-point games.
FINAL SCORE: Broncos 7, Pats 5
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0: Pats at 4:31 – Ashton Brown (4), assisted by Julien Maze & Jace Egland // Maze sent a cross-ice pass to the left circle, where Brown one-timed it home to give the Pats a 1-0 lead.
1-1: Broncos at 9:09 – Rylan Gould (25), assisted by Luke Mistelbacher & Hunter Mayo // Mistelbacher’s shot from the left circle bounced off bodies before going off Gould and past Pyne to even things up at 1-1.
2-1: Broncos at 10:14 – Marek Rocak (4), assisted by Daxon Yerex & Clarke Caswell // Yerex’s initial shot was stopped by Pyne, but the rebound got to a pinching Rocak, and he was able to get enough of it to send it past Pyne to make it 2-1 Broncos.
3-1: Broncos at 10:33 – Hunter Mayo (18), assisted by Josh McGregor & William Morin // Mayo’s mid-point shot beat a screened Pyne to make it 3-1 for the visitors.
3-2: Pats at 12:01 – Caden Brown (18), assisted by Cameron Kuzma & Brayden Smith // Kuzma, worked the puck to Brown, whose first shot was stopped, but he got his own rebound and put it past Dyck to make it 3-2.
Second Period
4-2: Broncos at 8:38 – Hunter Mayo (19), assisted by Rylan Gould & Luke Mistelbacher (PP) // Mayo’s long-distance blast eluded Pyne to restore the Bronco's two-goal lead at 4-2.
4-3: Pats at 12:47 – Zach Pantelakis (12), assisted by Sam Failler & Kolten Bridgeman // As the Pats entered the Broncos zone, Failler sent a pass to Pantelakis, who fired a shot bar down past Dyck to get the Pats to within one at 4-3.
4-4: Pats at 18:39 – Zach Pantelakis (13), assisted by Kolten Bridgeman & Kristian Lacelle // Pantelakis’s shot from the middle slot went off Dyck’s blocker, off a Bronco defender and in to tie the game up at 4-4.
Third Period
5-4: Broncos at 3:09 – Rylan Gould (26), assisted by Luke Mistelbacher & Clarke Caswell (5-on-3) // With the Broncos on an extended two-person advantage, they worked the puck deep, and Gould found the puck in a mad scramble and put it home to make it 5-4 Broncos.
6-4: Broncos at 6:03 – Carlin Dezainde (34), assisted by Hunter Mayo & Luke Mistelbacher (5-on-3) // Mayo’s shot went off the back boards and took a weird bounce to Dezainde, who deposited the puck past Pyne to make it 6-4.
6-5: Pats at 14:59 – Jace Egland (7), assisted by Cameron Kuzma & Sam Failler // Egland’s initial shot was stopped by Dyck, but the rebound bounced around and back to Egland, who deposited his seventh of the season to make it 6-5.
7-5: Broncos at 18:34 – Rylan Gould (27), assisted by Hunter Mayo // Gould’s send a nifty backhander home from the slot to make it 7-5 for the Broncos.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 7-10-13–30 | Swift Current – 18-12-13–43
PP: Regina – 0/3 | Swift Current – 3/7
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne ( saves / shots)
Swift Current: Reid Dyck ( saves / shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Hunter Mayo (2G-3A) – Broncos
Second: Zach Pantelakis (2G) – Pats
Third: Luke Mistelbacher (4A) – Broncos
JUST NOTES
- Sam Failler made his Pats debut as the 1,453rd player to play in a regular or playoff game. The 15-year-old callup also collected his first career points with a pair of assists.
- Zach Pantelakis scored twice to give him 13 goals this season. It was his first career multi-goal game.
- Caden Brown scored his team-leading 18th of the season. He now has goals in back-to-back games.
- Ashton Brown scored fourth in the season, which gave him points (1G-1A) in back-to-back games.
- Julien Maze picked up an assist. He now has six points (2G-4A) in his last six games.
- Jace Egland ended a three-game pointless streak with a goal and an assist.
- Cameron Kuzma picked up a pair of assists.
- Kolten Bridgeman had a pair of assists, giving him his first career two-point game.
- Kristian Lacelle notched his second assist of the season, his first point since Oct. 26 (a span of 19 games).
- The Pats are 2-3-0-0 against the Broncos this season.
- The Pats scored 5+ goals for the first time since February 14.
- Regina dropped to 15-41-5-3 while Swift Current improved to 34-28-1-2.
COMING UP
The Pats travel to Saskatoon to face the Blades on Sunday, March 16, with a 4:00 pm face-off. The Pats return to home ice on Tuesday, March 18, when they face the Swift Current Broncos with a 7:00 pm puck drop. Get your tickets at ReginaPats.com.
