Pats face struggle without stars
Absence of Pats’ elite players presents yet another hurdle for struggling team
Even with two of the WHL’s elite players in their lineup, the Regina Pats have struggled to gain ground in the league’s toughest division.
Imagine how difficult it’ll be without them.
The Pats will find out this week as captain Sam Steel and defenceman Josh Mahura leave Monday morning for Canada’s world junior selection camp in St. Catharines, Ont. Their departure is the latest hurdle for a club that has struggled to keep its head above water (1614-2) despite being the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup.
“It’s a challenge but it’s good for everybody all around,” said Pats head coach/GM John Paddock. “It’s good for us (as coaches). It’s still sort of an ongoing evaluation (of the players). Any time you get a chance to be higher in the lineup or play more it should be welcomed.
“It’s a great opportunity and they have to show what they can do.”
One of those players is Robbie Holmes, who scored the gamewinner with 4:13 remaining in Saturday’s 4-2 decision over the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Matt Bradley, Emil Oksanen and Jake Leschyshyn (empty net) also scored for the Pats, who benefited from a balanced scoring attack.
It was a welcome departure from recent games, when the top line of Steel, Bradley and Nick Henry did most of the heavy lifting.
“It’s important that the offence came from some other sources,” said Paddock, whose team outshot Medicine Hat 46-34. “Sam had an assist on the first goal. He set up Nick three or four times so there they could have had (more) points. But to think there was only one goal created by them has to make the rest feel good. The (Koby) Morrisseau line scored and Jake’s line got a couple goals. That’s what has to happen.”
The Pats also needed some accountability in the dressing room. They found it thanks to a playersonly meeting Friday night after a 7-4 setback versus the Kelowna Rockets.
It was Regina’s fifth loss in seven games, with the only two wins coming against the lowly Red Deer Rebels and Calgary Hitmen. The Central Division-leading Tigers presented a true litmus test and the Pats rose to the occasion.
“That’s kind of what we needed,” said Holmes. “Beating a team like that is pretty big for us, especially with the last couple games we’ve had. It was a big statement kind of game.”
It was also a much-needed victory in their last game before Steel and Mahura head east for the national junior selection camp. If they both make the team, the Pats will have to survive for the next month without their two best players.
“Everyone has to compete a little bit extra,” said Bradley, who will move from left wing to his natural centre position. “We’re absolutely thrilled for those guys to get that opportunity. We’re going to be rooting for them and holding the fort down and doing what we can back here.”
Steel felt like Saturday’s contest was “almost a must-win game” for his embattled squad. The victory was also just what the doctor ordered before Steel’s departure.
“It’s awesome to leave on a high note,” added Steel, whose team was coming off back-to-back letdowns in the third period against Kelowna and Brandon.
“I don’t think we’ve been playing our best hockey but we’ve been doing a lot of good things. There’s just a couple things throughout the game that have been coming back to bite us. Tonight we limited that and played a desperate 60 minutes and got rewarded. It’s a big win and really good for the morale.”
That goes double for Steel, who had mixed emotions about leaving at a time when he and Mahura are desperately needed in Regina.
“We’re trying to turn a corner here with the Pats but at the same time we’re heading on to an unbelievable opportunity,” added Regina’s captain, whose team will face the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday. “We have to play desperate like we did (Saturday) and everybody needs to do their job. We did that tonight and we got rewarded. We just need to keep building on it.”