Pats end skid with shootout win in Red Deer

The WHL’s Regina Pats snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday with a 6-5 shootout victory over the host Red Deer Rebels.

With head coach Dave Struch on the shelf — he suffered an appendicitis attack Friday — the Pats overcame a 4-1 second-period deficit to tie the game at 4-4 early in the third period.

The Rebels took a 5-4 lead with 2:47 left in the third, but Regina’s Austin Pratt scored his second goal of the game with 15 seconds remaining in regulation time to send the game to overtime.

After a scoreless OT session, Ty Kolle, Pratt and Zach Wytinck scored in the shootout to give Regina its first victory since a 3-2 triumph over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Sept. 20.

Kolle, Robbie Holmes and Ryker Evans also scored in regulation time for the Pats, who were led by general manager John Paddock and assistant coach Brad Herauf in Struch’s absence. Wytinck added four assists for Regina.

Cameron Hausinger scored two goals for the Rebels (4-6-0-1), who got singles in regulation time from Zak Smith, Ethan Rowland and Dawson Barteaux.

Regina goalie Danton Belluk stopped 24 shots through regulation and overtime before denying Arshdeep Bains in the shootout — setting the stage for Wytinck’s shootout winner. Byron Fancy made 32 saves for the Rebels through the game’s first 65 minutes.

The Pats’ next game is set for Oct. 27, when they’re to face the Calgary Hitmen in the 2019 Prairie Classic at Mosaic Stadium. The outdoor game is to begin at 2 p.m.