Pats pick up third straight win in P.A.

Coach Paddock sees progress as Regina wins its third straight in busy schedule

The Family Day weekend was indeed a long one for the Regina Pats. It was also a good one.

Regina picked up its third straight victory during a rare Monday afternoon contest, skating to a 3-1 road decision over the Prince Albert Raiders.

Nick Henry, Jared Legien and Matt Bradley (empty net) scored for the Pats (32-24-5-1), who were playing their fourth game in six days. Brett Leason replied for the Raiders (23-25-9-2), who outshot Regina 38-24.

Rookie goaltender Max Paddock picked up the win courtesy of a first-star effort. It was his sixth consecutive start in place of injured veteran Ryan Kubic.

The win put an exclamation on an eventful long weekend for the Pats, who also faced the rival Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday and Sunday. The latter concluded a three-game miniseries that began Wednesday night as Regina lost 6-3 to the visiting Warriors.

The Pats responded Friday with 5-3 decision at Mosaic Place before securing the rubber match on Sunday with a 4-2 win at the Brandt Centre.

Heading into the week, Pats head coach/GM John Paddock wanted his players to approach the threegame set like a playoff series. They responded accordingly. “I think it’s relatively easy to approach it like that because this just doesn’t happen,” Paddock said. “I don’t think I’ve ever at any time played (the same) team three games in a row in the regular season. That creates a different atmosphere or different feeling than even playing back to back.”

The Pats and Warriors conclude their eight-game season series Saturday in Moose Jaw — a game that could be a playoff preview.

Familiarity breeds contempt between division rivals, but Paddock doesn’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing.

“These games are really good to sort of enhance the rivalry,” he said after Friday ’s win. “When you don’t play each other in the playoffs (it’s tougher to have a true rivalry). Last year, we had the (league’s top) team. This year, they have the (top) team. I don’t think we really developed a real rivalry other than what people talk about (from the past). These four games in slightly more than a week will create more of rivalry for sure.”

The Pats upped the ante against Moose Jaw by playing three of their most physical games this season. It was hoped that their effort would have a cumulative effect.

“I think it’s really important for us to wear down the other team, especially when we play three games in a row like that,” said defenceman Cale Fleury, who was among Regina’s most physical players. “If a guy gets hit like that, maybe they’ll know you’re there the next time and they ’ll cough it up. Maybe they won’t, but they ’ll definitely be thinking about it.”

Beyond that, the Pats were simply focused on putting in a solid 60-minute effort. That hasn’t always been the case this season.

“Our biggest thing was we haven’t worked hard enough until this weekend,” said Paddock, whose team has also needed time to jell after a major overhaul at the Jan. 10 trade deadline.

“We have good players. All we know right now is we’re competitive. We’re more competitive than we were before. These two games (against Moose Jaw) aren’t going to mean anything in March, but we have to keep growing as a team.

“You’re only as good as the last game.”

The Pats return to action Friday in Saskatoon.