Zackary Shantz secured the opening night victory with the overtime winner as the Regina Pats opened the 2024-25 season with a 3-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday at the Art Hauser Centre.
The Pats have now won their last five games that have gone to extra-time thanks to Shantz’s late game heroics. The Sucker Creek, Alta. product lifted a wrist shot over Max Hildebrand for his second career overtime winner with just 47 seconds left in the frame.
Shantz finished the game with two points (1G-1A) after he assisted Samuel Laplante’s first career WHL goal which gave the Pats a 2-1 lead in the second period. That was the Pats second lead of the night as they opened the scoring in the first as Sam Oremba’s power play tally gave Regina a 1-0 lead early on.
Kelton Pyne stopped 37 of 39 in his fourth career win against the Raiders. The Pats now open their season with a win for the second straight season, and for the third time in their last four seasons. The Pats also break a four game road losing-streak in Prince Albert while also improving to 3-1 over their last four games versus Prince Albert.
The Pats move to 42-49-3-10-0 all-time record on opening night, and to 3-3-1 all-time in season openers against the Prince Albert Raiders.
THE STATISTICS
SOG: Regina – 8-10-4-3–25 | Prince Albert – 14-10-13-2–39
PP: Regina – 1/4 | Prince Albert – 0/3
THE GOALTENDING BATTLE
Regina: Kelton Pyne (37 saves / 39 shots)
Prince Albert: Max Hildebrand (22 saves / 25 shots)
THE 3 STARS
First: Daxon Rudolph (1G) – Raiders
Second: Kelton Pyne (37 SV, W) – Pats
Third: Niall Crocker (1G-1A) – Raiders
COMING UP
The Pats home opener is September 21st against the Brandon Wheat Kings with a 6 p.m. puck drop! You can hear the game on 620 CKRM starting with pregame coverage at 5:30 p.m.