Pats look to complete comeback
Regina and Swift Current head to Game 7 to determine Eastern Conference finalist
SWIFT CURRENT Austin Wagner began his day as a question mark and ended it with an exclamation.
Mere hours after avoiding a potentially disastrous suspension, Wagner delivered a clutch firststar performance on Saturday night — two goals and one assist — as the Regina Pats kept their season alive with a 5-3 comeback win over the Swift Current Broncos.
That sets up a final confrontation on Monday (7 p.m., Brandt Centre) to determine which team moves on to the Eastern Conference final.
“It’s going to be a war,” Wagner predicted after Saturday’s win at the Credit Union iplex. “We’re expecting a hard performance out of them (in Game 7). We have to be ready to play because we know they’re going to be.”
The Broncos were in the driver’s seat after a 5-4 triple-overtime win Tuesday night, giving them a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Pats responded Friday with a 3-2 decision on home ice before tying the series 24 hours later in Swift Current.
“Every game has been so tight; I feel like 3-1 really meant nothing,” said Broncos forward Arthur Miller, whose team has posted all three of its wins in OT. “We took our foot off the pedal (in Game 6) but we definitely have to let that go. There’s nothing we can do about it now.”
Regina dodged a major bullet when the WHL chose not to suspend Wagner for a kneeing major and game misconduct late in Game 5. The penalty was subject to an automatic review by league disciplinarian Richard Doerksen, who was in attendance at the Brandt Centre.
Although the Pats felt strongly that a suspension wasn’t warranted, it still created some tension leading up to Game 6.
“I had a pretty good sleep (the night before) ... surprisingly,” Wagner said with a smile. “Getting a five-minute major wasn’t ideal but I got the nod (Saturday) morning when I came to the rink. As far as I knew I was in the lineup until I was told I’m not. I was ready to go.” Was he ever.
Wagner set the pace for a crucial breakout performance by Regina’s No. 2 line, which had struggled after captain Adam Brooks suffered a knee injury in Game 2.
Left-winger Filip Ahl missed Games 2-4 with the mumps but he stepped up big-time on Saturday by notching his first WHL playoff goal and adding two assists.
Centre Wyatt Sloboshan — filling in for Brooks — also contributed his best-ever playoff showing with one goal and two helpers.
“That line picked up the slack,” said head coach/GM John Paddock. “I think it was Filip Ahl’s best game all season. He was a force. (Wagner) was a force. Wyatt was working like he has worked every game in the playoffs but he got rewarded. I wouldn’t say we’ve been waiting for it but we needed it.”
They also needed goaltender Tyler Brown, who made several key saves after Swift Current took a 3-1 lead early in the second period. The Pats responded with four unanswered goals and Brown slammed the door en route to a 34-save effort.
“Brownie has been unbelievable for us all year,” said Wagner.
Brown expects to face another huge test in Game 7. That said, he’s pleased it will take place at home in front of the Pats’ fans.
“They were great last game and we’re excited to come back and play,” said Brown. “(The Broncos) are going to come back pretty hard. Game 7 could go either way. We’re going to push back just as hard.” Paddock expects nothing less. In fact, he believes Regina will have to play its best game of the series to prevail — regardless of the venue.
“Yeah, it’s nice to be playing at home,” added Paddock, whose team nearly upset the host Red Deer Rebels in a Game 7 last year. “We outshot Red Deer 15-5 in the third period (and lost 2-1). It didn’t matter where we were playing. It’s not going to matter for Swift Current. They won a Game 7 already this year (versus Moose Jaw).
“It’ll be a heck of a game.”
It’s going to be a war. We’re expecting a hard performance out of them (in Game 7).