Pats beat Warriors 7-1 in first game in 15 days

After the Regina Pats’ season was put on pause due to COVID-19, they returned to action on Sunday at the Brandt Centre in victorious fashion.

The WHL’s Pats easily took care of business in front of the home crowd, beating their Trans-Canada Highway rival Moose Jaw Warriors 7-1.

“We got Moose Jaw at the right time — they are playing three (games) in three (nights) — but you have to take advantage of it. You have to play the right way and take advantage of it,” Regina head coach John Paddock said.

“It has been kind of a weird start to the year. A lot of games got cancelled so to get to play again was nice,” forward Connor Bedard said.

Weird might be one way to describe the recent stretch Bedard has gone through. He scored four goals against Austria for Canada in an 11-2 win n Dec. 28 at the world junior championship in Alberta. But that was the final game Canada would play after the rest of the tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19.

In his return to the Pats, Bedard scored four goals against the Warriors in a 7-6 overtime win on Jan. 1. That was the last Pats game before the team had a 15-day break due to a COVID outbreak.

“You get confidence and then get shut down again. It has been weird but you go to practice every day and build off those games,” Bedard said.

The Pats got off to a strong start Sunday, with goals from forwards Jakob Brooke, Bedard, Zack Stringer and Tanner Howe in the first 12 minutes of the game. The goals by Bedard and Howe came on separate power-play opportunities.

“It’s going out and executing. Play simple and do the right things,” Paddock said when asked about the team’s fast start. “I like our team and I like our players but you’ve got to go out and play right.”

Moose Jaw’s only goal came from center Jagger Firkus in the first period.

Cole Carrier and Howe scored in the second period for the Pats, while Drew Englot scored in the third.

Howe had four points in the game while Bedard added three of his own. The 16-year-olds are now averaging over a point per game this season — Bedard has 31 points in 26 games while Howe has 29 points in 28 contests.

The Pats are to play on Tuesday in Regina against the Calgary Hitmen.