Suzdalev’s overtime goal lifts Pats to sixth straight win

The Regina Pats are running the gauntlet against the best teams the WHL’s Eastern Conference has to offer.

One night after beating the first-place Winnipeg Ice 5-3 at the Brandt Centre, the host Pats posted a 6-5 overtime victory over the second-place Red Deer Rebels on Saturday.

The third-place Saskatoon Blades are to visit Regina on Sunday for a 4 p.m. start to complete the Pats’ run of three games in three days against the top three teams in the conference.

On Saturday, Alexander Suzdalev’s goal 55 seconds into overtime lifted the Pats to their sixth win in a row. Regina sits sixth in the conference with a 31-24-2-1 record.

Borya Valis added a pair of goals for Regina, while Connor Bedard and Stanislav Svozil each had a goal and three assists. Riley Ginnell had the other goal for the Pats, who got two assists each from Tanner Howe and Parker Berge.

It was Bedard’s 13th game this season with at least four points. The 17-year-old leads the WHL with 59 goals and 123 points in 47 games played this season.

He’s riding a 10-game point-scoring streak, with 15 goals and 18 assists in that span. He has recorded 32 goals and 27 helpers in 19 games with Regina since returning from the world junior hockey championship.

Svozil has recorded at least one point in nine straight games, with five goals and 16 assists in that stretch. He has 34 points in 18 games with the Pats since playing for Czechia in the world junior tournament.

Kai Uchacz had a goal and two assists for the Rebels (39-17-2-3), who led 3-1 midway through the second period before Regina rallied. Frantisek Formanek, Ollie Josephson, Ben King and Jayden Grubbe had the other goals for Red Deer, while Mats Lindgren chipped in with three assists.

Kelton Pyne made 35 saves in the Regina goal. Red Deer netminder Kyle Kelsey made 14 saves.