Seattle’s big ’Birds keeping Pats in check
Towering blue-line corps presents king-size challenge for Regina forwards
The Regina Pats weren’t kidding when they said the Seattle Thunderbirds would be the biggest test they’ve faced in the 2017 playoffs.
Seattle’s towering defence has literally presented a super-sized challenge in the WHL championship series, which is tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 on Tuesday night in Kent, Wash.
“It’s hard work getting around them and getting to the net because they’re so big and strong,” offered Pats centre Wyatt Sloboshan, whose team opened the series with 2-1 overtime loss on Friday but rebounded the next night with a 4-3 OT win.
“In the third period (of Game 2), I think we outplayed them. We started using our cycle on their big D. We used our speed and just kept getting pucks on net.”
Seattle’s lineup includes just one blue-liner under six-foot-three. That’s five-foot-11, 205-pound Ethan Bear, who was named the WHL’s defenceman of the year.
Bear partners with six-footthree wrecking ball Turner Ottenbreit, who’s complemented by Aaron Hyman (six-foot-five), Austin Strand (six-foot-three), Jarret Tyszka (six-foot-three) and Reece Harsch (six-foot-three).
They form an imposing defensive barrier, but the Pats are determined to find a way around it.
“Swift Current’s defence prepared us for this,” said head coach/ GM John Paddock, whose team needed seven games to defeat the Broncos in the second round.
“It was hard to score on Swift Current. It was hard to get (to the net). We’re prepared for it. We knew how (the T-Birds) were going to play. We know they’re a real pressure- (based), push up team. That’s what they do and they’re very good at it. It’s not going to be easy, for sure.”
The Pats also have to contend with netminder Carl Stankowski, who has stopped 53 of 58 shots in the series. The five-foot-nine rookie is the latest goaltender to get Regina’s attention, following in the footsteps of Swift Current’s Jordan Papirny and Stuart Skinner of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Perseverance ultimately paid off in each matchup so the Pats are hoping that will be the case again.
“Their goalie is stopping everything he sees but we’ve faced hot goalies like that every series,” said Sloboshan. “At the start of both series we couldn’t figure it out. We got gritty. We know we have to throw pucks on (Stankowski). If we keep doing that, we’ll wear him down.”
The Pats followed that blueprint to varying degrees over the weekend. Their urgency increased in the third period of both contests, but Paddock would like to see his team get started a little earlier.
“You never play perfect,” he said. “The opposition has some say in that, but if you play in the other team’s end more regular and regular and regular, then you’ll get those opportunities. You have to tire teams out. It’s easier said than done but … I thought our third period was the best both nights.”
Regina’s stamina will be tested in three straight road games at the 6,000-seat ShoWare Center in Kent — about 20 minutes from Seattle.
Paddock expects the Thunderbirds to be energized by their home crowd but — beyond that — he doesn’t believe the venue will be a factor.
“A rink is a rink,” he’s fond of saying. “I understand the crowd (aspect). We love playing with them behind us here but we were (28-5-2-1) on the road in the regular season. We’ve won (playoff ) games on the road. I expect our team to play just as good and better than they did (at home on Saturday).”
The T-Birds, meanwhile, are excited about the opportunity to play three straight at home after earning a split at the Brandt Centre.
The Pats have to win at least one of those games to send the series back to Regina for Game 6 and (if necessary) Game 7.
“I don’t think we’ll look at too big of a picture, but its nice to be home, nice to get back in your own bed,” said head coach Steve Konowalchuk. “Our fans are nice and loud and they’ll be behind our guys. Our guys feed off it a little bit, so it will be good to get back.”