Pats game video sure to be painful experience

John Paddock articulated his plan to use a Draconian — my term, not his — method of punishing the Regina Pats’ players for a substandard, er, effort.

The Pats’ head coach and general manager did not intend to resort to a paint-peeler of a screaming session or an extended, exhausting midnight skate.

Instead, he pondered something far more excruciating. A video session.

“We’ll do what we usually do in these situations,” Paddock said after Wednesday’s 3-0 WHL loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers.

“There will be some video shown of the non-competitive situations — not executing, not being hard enough.”

Yes, dear reader, the Pats’ players were faced with (gasp!) having to watch it again.

Nothing short of being subjected to Daddy’s Home 2 could be more painful to the eyes, or to the soul.

Wednesday’s turning point, it seemed, was the national anthem. Kamloops scored the winning goal a mere 17 seconds into the first period, setting the tone for an unusually quiet evening at the Brandt Centre (where the Pats are to oppose the Saskatoon

Blades on Friday night).

Instead of O Canada, they should have played Silent Night.

This being the season of giving, the Pats thoughtfully presented the Blazers with a gift-wrapped victory.

“We just weren’t ready to play,” Paddock lamented.

Making matters worse for the Reginans who predominated in the taciturn crowd of 5,459, the 50-50 winner took home a cool $6,965 ... to a quaint burg situated 250 kilometres away.

It was a good night to be from out of town, both for the Blazers and the newly enriched Steve from Saskatoon.

The presentation of the winnings to Steve was a rare example of the Pats finishing a cheque on Wednesday night.

Unlike the often-mentioned Steve, the Pats had difficulty cashing in. Kamloops’ Dylan Ferguson recorded the easiest 42-save shutout you will ever see.

“It wasn’t a hard game for their team or their defence, I don’t think,” Paddock noted, “unless I see something different when I watch it again.”

Again?

A brave man, that John Paddock.