The Regina Pats took one of the top teams in the Western Conference down to the wire, as the Prince George Cougars added an empty netter late to defeat the Regiment 4-2 at the CN Centre on Friday.
With the net empty and the Pats on a 6-on-4 attack, Caden Brown brought Regina to within one at 3-2 with his second goal in as many games. Joshua Ravensbergen stole the game for the Cougars, stopping 15 of 16 shots in the third and 32 overall, which helped snap their three-game skid. Former Pat Borya Valis picked up three points against his former club (2G-1A), with his second of the night being an empty-netter.
The Pats tied the game at one late in the first period as Reese Hamilton received a nifty pass from Julien Maze for his first in Pats colours. Then, Valis would restore the Cougars lead at 2-1 with two seconds left in the first period.
Despite only facing 20 shots, Pats goaltender Kelton Pyne kept Regina in the game with some high-danger saves, including several on the Cougars' 5-on-3 power play early in the third period.
FINAL SCORE: Cougars 4, Pats 2
THE GOALS
First Period
1-0: Cougars at 3:37 – Riley Heidt (12), assisted by Terik Parascak & Arseni Anisimov // The initial shot by Parascak was slightly fanned on, and the puck ended up on Heidt’s stick to the side of the net and he tucked it past Pyne to make it 1-0.
1-1: Pats at 17:29 – Reese Hamilton (2), assisted by Julien Maze & Connor Bear // Maze won a battle for the puck along the right boards, and he sent a cross-ice pass to a pinching Hamilton and he put it past Ravensbergen to the game up at 1-1.
2-1: Cougars at 19:58 – Borya Valis (14), assisted by Bauer Dumanski & Carson Carels // Dumanski’s point shot was deflected, and the bouncing puck went to Valis, who was able to get a piece of it and knock it past Pyne to make it 2-1 just before the first frame expired.
Second Period
3-1: Cougars at 19:23 – Terik Parascak (14), assisted by Carson Carels & Borya Valis (PP) // Carels sent a slap pass towards the Pats net, and it was redirected into the cage by the skate of Parascak, who was standing at the edge of the crease to make it 3-1.
Third Period
3-2: Pats at 18:55 – Caden Brown (6), assisted by Zackary Shantz & Jace Egland (PP) // With the Pats on a powerplay and the net empty, they controlled the puck in the offensive and on a mad scramble Brown chipped it past Ravensbergen to pull them to within one at 3-2.
4-2: Cougars at 19:25 – Borya Valis (15), assisted by Player (EN) // Valis, sealed the game with an empty netter to make it 4-2.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 12-6-16–34 | Prince George – 5-8-8–21
PP: Regina – 1/5 | Prince George – 1/5
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (17 saves / 20 shots)
Prince George: Joshua Ravensbergen (32 saves / 34 shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Joshua Ravensbergen (32 SVS) – Cougars
Second: Borya Valis (2G-1A) – Cougars
Third: Reese Hamilton (1G) – Pats
JUST NOTES
- Caden Brown scored his second goal in his last two games, giving him five points (2G-3A) in eight games with the Pats.
- Julien Maze grabbed an assist, giving him 1G-3A-4PTS over his last two games.
- Reese Hamilton snapped a 23-game goalless drought with his first goal and points with the Pats.
- Connor Bear picked up an assist, giving him three helpers over his last two games.
- The Pats power play struck for a second straight contest (2-for-9).
COMING UP
The Pats will finish their eight-game road trip on Sunday, December 8, in Edmonton, where they will face the Oil Kings. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m.
