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An electric five goal third period lifted the Regina Pats over the rival Moose Jaw Warriors 7-3 Saturday night.
It was a hard fought match up for both teams who are jockeying for first place in the eastern division, with Moose Jaw winning Friday night’s match up 5-4 in overtime.
Back at the Brandt Centre in front of the home town crowd the Pats rallied to head into the break with a firm hold on first place.
“We’re in a tight race with them and it’s important for us to get these games,” said Connor Hobbs who had a goal and an assist in the game. “I hope the guys can take away from this and have the momentum coming into the second half.”
The scoring started early for the Pats who got on the board just 55 seconds into the first period. Dawson Leedahl put one past Warriors goalie Zach Sawchenko with an assist from Sam Steel.
Adam Brooks would get his first goal of three at about ten minutes in, but the Warriors refused to go quietly, matching the Pats two goals with two goals of their own send the teams into the first intermission tied a two.
A hard fought second period lead to just one goal from Brett Howden to give the Warriors the 3-2 lead going into the third.
And that’s when the Pats really started to shine.
“I think that they really dug down, that’s great to see,” head coach John Paddock said about his team’s play in the third period. “We weren’t unhappy with how we played in the first two but they found another gear.”
It started with a powerplay goal by Hobbs at the 2:23 mark of the third tying the game, but the Pats didn’t let up.
Adam Brooks netted the game winner about ten minutes later and about three minutes after scored a hat trick shorthanded after a pass from Austin Wagner.
Before the game was over Sam Steel and Rykr Cole also found the back of the net.
“They really rose to the occasion,” Paddock said of his team’s best players – Brooks included. “Big goals, big plays, that’s what the best players have to do.”
As for what what different between Friday and Saturday, the captain thinks it’s confidence.
“I think we just needed to believe,” Brooks said. “I think the last couple games here we’ve just gotten frustrated and got away from our games when the going got tough and tonight we just rallied together and that’s the outcome.”
The Pats will are now on Christmas break before returning to the Brandt Centre for their next home game on Dec. 27.
ODDS AND ENDS
- Three stars: Adam Brooks (Pats), Sam Steel (Pats) and Connor Hobbs (Pats)
- Shots were 54-31 in favour of the Pats
- Pats lead the league in shorthanded goals at 15.
- Sam Steel and Adam Brooks sit atop the league in points at 54 and 53 respectively.
