Drew Sim supplied some steady goaltending and Connor Bedard provided his typical highlight theatrics as the Regina Pats opened up their first-round series with the Saskatoon Blades with a convincing 6-1 win on Friday night at the SaskTel Centre.
In his Western Hockey League playoff game, Bedard had a pair of goals and an assist.
Goaltending was the story in the first period, as Sim and the Blades Austin Elliott kept the game scoreless with both netminders making some key saves.
Just over four minutes into the second period, Zackary Shantz, who only had one career assist in 22 WHL games over the last two seasons in Regina and Prince George, opened up the scoring with his first career WHL goal.
🚨 ZACKARY. SHANTZ. 🚨
His 1st career goal in @TheWHL is a playoff goal!
What a moment!#WHLPlayoffs | #StandWithUs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/ACjcQZI3xr
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) April 1, 2023
Regina would add to their lead later in the period as Bedard scored his first WHL playoff goal in typical Bedard fashion.
Ladies and gentlemen, we present PLAYOFF Connor Bedard 👀
WHAT.A.GOAL.#WHLPlayoffs | #StandWithUs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/8V2uJcD8mf
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) April 1, 2023
It was frantic start to the third period with Riley Ginnell extending the Pats lead to three with a goal nine seconds into the period.
Saskatoon answered back shortly, Lukas Hansen would the Blades up on the scoreboard 22 seconds after the Ginnell goal.
But the Pats didn’t let the Blades goal faze them as Stanislav Svozil extended their lead back to three when he sniped a goal on an odd-man rush.
STAN THE MAN!!!
Svozil extends our lead to 4-1 with an absolute shnipe over the glove!#WHLPlayoffs | #StandWithUs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/HM58DojjoE
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) April 1, 2023
Bedard added another highlight-reel goal to his vast collection to put the Pats ahead 5-1.
Playoff Connor Bedard strikes again!#CB98 just casually slips between the two defenceman & roofs it for yet another marvellous goal 😱#WHLPlayoffs | #StandWithUs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/QisAw1I2J9
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) April 1, 2023
Tye Spencer would finish off the scoring with an empty-netter to finish off the scoring for Regina.
Assistant Coach Ken Schneider felt that tonight’s game was a carry-over from the last two matchups between the clubs in the final week of the regular season and along with a couple of breaks, the Pats played a solid Game 1 on Friday night.
Schneider noted Sim’s steady presence in the second period was crucial in the Pats win.
“That’s what you need out of your goalie in a playoff game.”
Sim ended up making 27 saves for Regina.
In the third period, the Pats assistant coach said the line of Jaxsin Vaughan, Brayden Barnett and Shantz were very effective for Regina and earned more ice time for themselves in the final period.
Defensively, Schneider said the Pats were able to avoid making turnovers in dangerous areas against the Blades.
“I was really proud of our defence tonight, I thought they played an outstanding game, they just kept it really simple, we got the red line a lot, push pucks deep.”
The Pats did not have a power play opportunity while the Blades were o/2 on the extra-man advantage.
With the win on the road, the Pats have now taken the home-ice advantage in the series ahead of Game 2.
The two teams will meet at SaskTel Centre on Sunday afternoon. Coverage begins on 620 CKRM at 3:10, Dante De Caria will have the play-by-play at 4:00.
Game 3 will take place in Regina on Tuesday night at the Brandt Centre.
Total attendance for Friday’s game in Saskatoon was 10,265.
