'Start of something special': Riders use garbage bag day to reflect on 2024
Nov 11, 2024
The locker room was full of optimism for the future of the organization on Sunday.
The statisticians may have needed some extra paper to fill out the over 130 minutes of penalties between the Regina Pats and Prince George Cougars on Saturday night.
Both teams got nine chances on the power-play and it was the Pats who used a five on three to spark a comeback to beat the Cougars.
Down 3-1, the Pats turned the pressure up with a two-man advantage. Although, they were unable to score up two men, Cole Sanford scored his first of two goals on the man advantage.
The Pats didn’t wait long to tie the game, as Chase Harrison set up Jared McAmmond for his second goal of the season just eight seconds after Sanford cut the lead to one.
The roughing penalties started to mount going into the third and coming out of the intermission. The game was still in the balance with just four minutes left as the Pats were killing off their ninth penalty kill when Sean Richards stepped out of the penalty box and 11 seconds later helped set up Rykr Cole for the eventual game winner.
Cole Sanford netted another into an empty net.
Things got ugly in the final minute with three 10-minute misconducts handed out as well as multiple roughing penalties. As well, Luc Smith of the Pats and Kody McDonald of the Cougars joined some teammates already in the locker room after they dropped the gloves with 36 seconds left.
The chippy and hard-fought win had the 5,054 fans at the Brandt Centre on their feet to applaud the Pats after winning back to back games at home this weekend.
Tyler Brown made a few highlight saves to keep the Pats within reach and then again in the third to keep the game tied.
Adam Brooks added to his league high point total with three more assists in the win. Brooks had six points, all assists, in the Pats two wins this weekend.
The Pats are back on the ice in Prince Albert on Friday, Feb. 12.
THREE STARS
- Sam Steel – The Regina Pats centre got a goal and an assist and created and had many more chances throughout the night.
- Jesse Gabrielle – The former Pat returned the Brandt Centre with gusto as he started the scoring and added an assist in a losing cause.
- Cole Sanford – Sanford is starting to gel with Steel as he set up Steel’s goal and Steel returned the favour on Sanford’s first of two goals on the night.