LESSONS FROM LOSING
Pats coach sees positives as squad fails to score
Despite failing to score a goal, the Regina Pats experienced a net gain on Wednesday.
Head coach/GM John Paddock emphasized more positives than negatives following his team’s 2-0 road loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes — an effort that gives Regina something to build upon heading into Saturday’s game against the host Red Deer Rebels.
“Sometimes you don’t win when you play good,” said Paddock, whose team dropped to 8-6-1 with the loss.
“You never feel good about a loss, but (it was an improvement) compared to just about all the other losses.”
The Pats were disappointed for other reasons after Wednesday’s contest, which marked the first time they had been blanked since Feb. 18 of last season — a 4-0 loss to the rival Moose Jaw Warriors.
Regina outshot Lethbridge 3624 but couldn’t solve goaltender Stuart Skinner, whose first-star effort resulted in his seventh career shutout. It also ended Regina’s streak of 52 straight games in which they scored at least one goal (playoffs included).
While giving credit where it was due, Paddock also lamented the Pats’ inability to get into Skinner’s kitchen — failing to generate enough traffic in front of the net and capitalize on rebounds.
“Other than that, we liked our game,” said Paddock, whose team overcame a standout performance by Skinner in last season’s Eastern Conference final, winning the best-of-seven series in six games.
“Obviously, he’s a good goalie. Like most goalies, if he sees the shots he’s going to stop them most of the time. He deserves credit. And their team deserves some credit for keeping us away (from the net).
“Until we were really desperate in the third period, we didn’t get to the paint. We didn’t do enough to score, and it usually goes that way no matter who you’re playing. But against a top goalie, that makes it worse.”
Despite the loss, it was a complete turnaround from Saturday’s 5-2 setback on home ice against the Vancouver Giants — a game Paddock called Regina’s worst effort of the season.
The Pats rebounded Tuesday with a convincing 6-3 win over the Kootenay Ice to begin a four-game road trip. Regina led 3-1 and 6-1 at the respective intermissions before Kootenay scored twice in the third period to make it respectable.
“We played pretty good,” said Paddock.
“It was good to see that kind of start. Our game (the next night versus Lethbridge) carried on from what we did for the first 35 minutes (against Kootenay).”
The bad news for Regina was the loss of captain Sam Steel, who suffered an undisclosed “upper-body” injury in the second period versus Lethbridge and didn’t return for the third frame.
Paddock was awaiting further tests before commenting on Steel’s status for the weekend.
After Saturday’s game in Red Deer, the Pats wrap up their road trip on Sunday against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Regina returns home on Wednesday to face the Ice.