Pats best Blades for first time this season

The Regina Pats were able to finally best their rivals, the Saskatoon Blades, for the first time in the WHL hub.

Regina posted a 4-2 victory Tuesday at the Brandt Centre.

“Against them, it’s big because they had our number,” Pats head coach Dave Struch said after the game. “They pushed back on us and we responded well.

“I know they had some guys out of the lineup but they play a really good game — they play hard and they play physical. We did some things that we have seen flashes of in this shortened season and we’ve built on last game and did things right.”

It was the Pats’ second win in a row after a 4-3 decision over the Prince Albert Raiders on Sunday.

Blades forward Caiden Daley, who played 25 games with the Pats in the 2019-20 season, said with the Blades fighting for the top spot in the East Division, there’s not going to be any easy games.

“Every team’s coming for us and they want to take us out and we’ve got to be ready for whatever any team throws at us,” Daley said.

The Blades had won the previous three meetings between the teams, with Tuesday’s contest being the final meeting this season.

After a scoreless first period, Daley broke the second period open just 38 seconds in with his seventh goal of the season.

But while the Blades were trying to put the pressure on the Pats during a power play, Regina was the unlikely benefactor of being a man down. Right-winger Carter Chorney scored while shorthanded, beating Blades goaltender Nolan Maier.

Pats defenceman Layton Feist put the Pats up before the Blades found the equalizer from left-winger Brandon Lisowsky, who put the puck past Regina goalie Roddy Ross.

Pats forward Carson Denomie scored the fifth goal of the frame, putting the Pats up by one. It was Denomie’s 13th goal of the season, tying him for the league lead with Medicine Hat Tigers forward Corson Hopwo and Winnipeg Ice forward Connor McClennon.

Regina defenceman Kyle Walker scored his first goal of the season in the third period, hitting the empty net.

“I was talking about (getting a goal) with my buddy earlier on today and thought, ‘It’s got to come one of these times. I’ve had so many chances,’ and it’s funny it came on an empty net,” Walker said.

Both the Pats and Blades are entering the final stretches of their season. The WHL announced there wouldn’t be any playoffs after the CHL announced the cancellation of the Memorial Cup.

Each team has four games remaining in its season.

For Daley, that means he enters the final four games of his WHL career as a 20-year-old.

“We’ve got to play like it’s our last game. I’ve got to put my best foot forward and we’re trying to (win the division),” Daley said.

Walker also finds himself in the same boat as one of the Pats’ 20-year-olds.

“It kind of sucks because you know how awesome it is (in Regina), especially this organization, and I’m just super grateful I had the chance to play here,” Walker said. “(I’m) kind of just soaking it all in for the last week and (looking to) make the best of it.”