Pats face elimination after 5-2 loss to Swift Current

Tyler Steenbergen scored a hat trick and penalties proved costly for the Regina Pats Friday night as Swift Current rebounded to take game five of the best of seven series.

The Pats return home to the Brandt Centre Saturday night in hopes of staving off elimination as the Broncos now hold a 3-2 lead in the series.

It started off well enough for Regina, with Nick Henry getting a powerplay goal midway through the first period, but the lead didn’t hold for long.

With Emil Oksanen in the box serving a too many men penalty, Tyler Steenbergen cashed in for his third goal of the post-season to tie things up.

The penalty woes continued for the Pats when Oksanen took a hooking penalty late in the period and the deadly Broncos powerplay went back on the ice.

This time captain Glenn Gawdin took advantage of a feed from Steenbergen to take the lead in the game with less than a minute left in the first.

The Broncos held a 2-1 lead after the opening frame.

And they kept on scoring.

Two minutes and 40 seconds into the second period, Steenbergen struck again with Robbie Holmes in the box for a delay of game penalty. Two minutes later it was Sahvan Khaira on the board with a powerplay goal set up by Matteo Gennaro and Kaden Elder.

Steenbergen completed his hat trick on a breakaway with less than two minutes left in the second period.

The Broncos took a more than comfortable 5-1 lead into the second intermission.

Henry notched his and the Pats’ second goal of the night at 2:01 of the third period, but by then the damage had been done.

The Pats pulled goaltender Ryan Kubic midway through the third for back up Kyle Dumba, who completed the game.

The final score was 5-2.

Despite the loss, the Pats outshot their opponents 42-33 and went two for four on the powerplay, however, the penalty kill was three for seven.

Game six, which will either send the Pats packing or send the Broncos to the next round, goes Saturday night in Regina.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m.

A limited number of tickets are still available.