Last weekend the Brandt Centre was rocking as the Regina Pats earned a pair of wins against two of the top teams in the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Saskatoon Blades and the Portland Winterhawks. In Saturday’s win defenceman, Tanner Brown created shockwaves in the arena after he landed a big collision against the Winterhawks.
The atmosphere provided a spark for the home team, said Brown. He added the energy in the rink can help him out as he is delivering a big hit on the ice.
“Anything you can do to get the guys rolling and that kind of stuff is something I look forward to do.”
The 20-year-old defenceman was acquired by the Pats from the Red Deer Rebels earlier this season. Regina marks his fourth stop in the WHL. He broke into the league with Vancouver Giants late in the 2017-18 season. After spending parts of four seasons with the Giants, he was traded to the Winnipeg ICE last season. The Kelowna product began this season with the Red Deer Rebels before he was sent to the Pats.
The veteran was excited when he found out the Queen City was the next stop in his hockey career.
“I’ve played Regina a lot in my four or five seasons in this league. I kind of know what they’re all about.”
This season has been a career year for Brown. In 37 games with the Rebels and Pats, he has picked up three goals and added 19 assists.
As one of the 20-year-olds on the Pats, the defenceman is looked upon to provide veteran leadership. With the experience of making it to the WHL Finals with Vancouver and a deep playoff run with the ICE last season, he hopes to help guide the team down the stretch drive.
“I think I can lead the way a little bit and give guys a peace of mind.”
Heading into the weekend’s action, Regina currently holds the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. They lead Swift Current by two points, Medicine Hat trails the Pats by four points and the Wheat Kings are behind by six points.
Beginning on Friday, the Pats and Broncos will meet in a home-and-home set. The first contest takes place in Swift Current, followed by the two teams meeting on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre.
Brown says even with the playoffs a couple of months away, the weekend matchups against the Broncos are important.
“These are huge points for us.”
Meeting the Broncos two straight nights allows the defenceman to assume a role that enjoys playing.
“I kind of like being a villain a little bit, so I think its fun when I get to play the same team two nights in a row.”
Both matchups featuring the Pats and Broncos can be heard on 620 CKRM. Pregame coverage on both nights begins at 6:35. Dante De Caria will have the play-by-play for both games set for 7:00.
