For the second consecutive game at the Brandt Centre, the Regina Pats found themselves in an early deficit, but unlike Wednesday, the Pats were not able to stage a comeback as the Saskatoon Blades were in complete control on Saturday night as they beat Regina 6-1 in the final game before the Christmas break for both teams.
Saskatoon jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the first period as they found the back of the net on their opening three shots of the game and ended up scoring four goals on their first five shots.
Easton Armstrong gave the Pats temporary hope in the first period when he scored his 12th goal of the season, but that was as close as Regina would get.
After a scoreless second period where the Pats were unable to register a shot on net, the Blades would put the game away in the final period with a pair of goals.
Conner Roulette and Trevor Wong led the way for Saskatoon each player collecting a goal and a pair of assists for the Blades.
Regina was 1/3 on the powerplay while Saskatoon was 2/5.
Drew Sim took the loss as he made 24 saves, the Blades outshot the Pats 30-15.
Pats Assistant Coach Brad Herauf felt his team was in tough with a depleted lineup.
“We have four guys in our lineup right now they are you know are either A.P (affiliated player) or healthy scratches sometimes so Saskatoon is a really good team if you’re not on the ball and healthy as we need to be to play with those guys, the calibre team right now we just weren’t that tonight. ”
Armstrong has already doubled his goal output from last season after he scored six times in 2021-22, he feels a successful offseason has translated on the ice.
“I had a really big summer, just really worked on my skating, all aspects of my game, just to be a more all around of a player, I think it’s really helped. ”
The holiday break is an opportunity for the Pats to recharge their batteries heading into the second half of the season according to Herauf.
“A lot of these kids have been away from home for a long time, you know that is something that affects every hockey player doesn’t matter if you’re pro hockey player or not, junior kids it’s all the same. ”
Regina will head into the Christmas holidays fourth place in the East Division with a 17-15-1-1 record and sit in sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.
The next action for the Pats following their break will be on home ice at the Brandt Centre when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday, December 28.
