GUTTING OUT A WIN IN OT

Pats play third game in three nights

The Regina Pats could have been forgiven if they ran out of gas on Sunday.

The WHL club probably should have been operating on fumes prior to its third game in three days. Despite that fact, Regina gave the Brandon Wheat Kings more than they could handle en route to an emotional 4-3 overtime win before 4,241 fans at the Brandt Centre.

It was the fifth game in just seven days for Regina (20-31-4-2) — one of the most onerous portions of the team’s 68-game schedule.

A loss to Brandon wouldn’t have been a huge surprise after the Pats spent most of the previous night chasing the Edmonton Oil Kings around the ice. Regina managed to pick up a single point for its 2-1 overtime loss to the top team in the Eastern Conference.

“We played a playoff game (versus Edmonton),” said Pats head coach Dave Struch, whose team persevered with a gritty defensive effort despite being outshot 41-16. “We played tremendous away from the puck. Guess what? Edmonton is a really, really good hockey team. For us to get a point from them is a credit to the players.”

The Oil Kings weren’t necessarily surprised by the Pats’ resilience. Just eight days earlier, Regina skated to a 5-3 upset victory in Edmonton.

“One thing they bring, and they’re consistent, is their work ethic,” said Oil Kings head coach Brad Lauer. “When you have a team that’s committed to their structure and they work (hard), if you’re not ready for that, they’re going to win.”

Regina also fought back from a two-goal deficit on Friday against the Saskatoon Blades, who eventually put the game away by scoring twice in the final three minutes. That included an empty netter with two seconds left to seal the Blades’ 6-3 win, their first victory of the season over Regina after two previous losses that went to extra time.

“We definitely took these guys too lightly in our previous two encounters with them,” said Saskatoon head coach Mitch Love. “This Regina team plays you very hard. … Some of their young players are really starting to come along.”

In addition to their scheduling challenges on Sunday, the Pats were without No. 1 centre Robbie Holmes, who has been suspended for at least one game because of a check to the head versus Edmonton.

His absence was felt early against the Wheat Kings (31-21-4-2), who opened the scoring with a goal by Chad Nychuk. Zach Wytinck got it back 1:13 later but Ridly Greig made it 2-1 with 4:04 left in the first, scoring on a two-man advantage.

Regina tied it with 3:32 left in the second when rookie defenceman Jake Johnson scored his first WHL goal. Just 55 seconds after that, Ben Mccartney capitalized on a power play to give Brandon a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.

Regina had several chances to tie it early in the third, including a breakaway for Austin Pratt, but Ethan Kruger made a big glove save. The home team finally tied it with 3:42 left in regulation when Logan Nijhoff delivered a pass in front for Carter Chorney, who went upstairs on Kruger.

Pratt finished it off in OT, snapping a shot past the Wheat Kings’ netminder from the right faceoff circle.

Regina outshot Brandon 28-27.