Pats to go from first practice to first game in a week

The Regina Pats are getting geared up for their season-opener but in a fraction of a time that they are used to.

The Pats will face the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday to open the 2020-21 WHL season inside the league’s hub at the Brandt Centre.

But the Pats’ first time hitting the ice was on Friday — exactly seven days before puck drop.

“It’s going to factor into everything — timing and execution. For the little amount the players have been doing in the different zones with the health authorities’ restrictions, there is going to be different guys that are going to be ahead of the others. But the fact (is) we’ve got seven days to get ourselves conditioned and that timing and execution is going to be the most difficult part,” said Pats head coach Dave Struch.

“There’s nothing that can compare to getting on the ice and battling and competing to help your conditioning.”

In a normal year, the Pats would gear up using a full training camp with up to 70 players to try and gauge where everyone is at.

“We started doing system stuff before Christmas,” Struch said. “You wouldn’t be able to do (systems work) because you’ve got 50 to 70 players at training (camp) so I think that we’re going to be ahead of the game in that aspect.

“Really (we’re looking forward to) getting on the ice. I know it’s going to be sloppy and ugly at first but I think (it will be fine) once we get our feet under us. Our excitement is there for us to see our veteran guys, our leadership group and how they take ownership of it and then our young guys.”

Newly named Pats captain Logan Nijhoff says everyone’s excited to hit the ice.

“As a hockey player, you’re used to having a schedule every day. All of us from the age of four have had our winters packed hanging out with the guys and having a practice or skate every day,” Nijhoff said. “It’s been (more than 366) days so everyone should be in the best shape of their life.”

Like people across the world, the Pats turned to Zoom to connect during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Struch said the players will often have a team meeting at 11 a.m. to work out and have lunch and then have another Zoom call at 4 p.m. to go over their playing systems.

“We just set up our cameras wherever on the desks and most guys brought yoga mats (into the hub) and we just do bodyweight exercises and stuff like that,” said defenceman Kyle Walker.

The Pats and Raiders are to meet at 8 p.m. Friday. The WHL’s East Division schedule kicks off with a game between Brandon Wheat Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday at 4 p.m.