New look Pats fall 4-3 to Edmonton in OT

After a day full of blockbuster trades and big deals across the league, the Pats had to settle down and play a hockey game Wednesday night.

The Pats themselves made two deals at the deadline bringing in Brady Pouteau from Lethbridge and Aaron Hyman from Seattle and earlier in the day acquired Cameron Hebig and Ryan Kubic from Saskatoon.

Kubic got into his car, drove to Regina and suited right up for the 7 p.m. game at the Brandt Centre versus the Oil Kings.

Kubic was solid in his first appearance as a Pat, making 29 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Oil Kings.

“I thought he was pretty good, I thought he was victimized by the last two goals and bounces and made some key saves,” head coach John Paddock said. “We had no complaints about him tonight at all.”

Many though goaltending was the missing puzzle piece for the Pats team, but Paddock said no goaltenders were available so he’s comfortable with Kubic going forward.

“We didn’t do these deals for goaltending, we did these deals for Cam Hebig so we’re perfectly comfortable with it,” Paddock said.

Hebig, Pouteau and Hyman were not in the lineup, but members of the Pats earlier trades including Libor Hajek and Jesse Gabrielle made their debuts Wednesday.

There were some missteps and mistakes on the ice, many to be expected by a team with the turnover the Pats have had over the last month. Now that the team is in place, the real work begins.

“We have to mold them, but they have to figure out the chemistry and figure out the team thing, too,” Paddock said.

Something Gabrielle said he doesn’t think will take too long.

“It’s going to be even more exciting when everyone is here and we start gelling and becoming a group in there.”

It looked good for the Pats to start off the game, with Robbie Holmes scoring two goals in the first period to give his team an early lead.

Regina gave one up to Trey Fix-Wolansky at 12:12 in the first to bring the game within one, but the Pats carried a 2-1 lead into the intermission.

Edmonton came out quickly in the second period scoring within the first minute and seven seconds to tie things up. Despite two penalties to Josh Mahura in the frame, the Pats penalty kill impressed keeping the score tied at two heading into the third period.

But the Oil Kings shocked the Pats again early in the period this time with Colton Kehler scoring just a minute and 13 seconds in.

The 3-2 lead held until Gabrielle hit a wide-open Matt Bradley who made no mistake on the breakaway to send the game into overtime.

However, it was Edmonton who capitalized in overtime with Fix-Wolansky perfectly setting up Kehler for the game-winner.

The Pats will get a day off before their next home game on Friday.

Captain Sam Steel is set to return from his post-World Junior break.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre.