American road trip skid puts end to Pats' playoff hopes
The Regina Pats have returned home from their United States road trip without a single win.
The Pats (21-35-6) went 0-6 on the swing through the U.S., which mathematically eliminated them from playoff contention in the WHL'S Eastern Conference. Regina is now 13 points back of the final playoff spot with six games to go.
After losing 5-2 to Spokane and 5-3 to Tri-city to start the trip, the Pats lost 5-1 to Seattle and 6-3 to Wenatchee midweek before falling 3-0 to Portland and 5-3 to Everett on the weekend.
Regina will now visit the Moose Jaw Warriors (39-19-2) on Friday night to wrap up a seven-game road swing. The Pats are back at home on March 15 against the Prince Albert Raiders (29-27-4).
STRUCH BACK IN WHL
Former Regina Pats head coach Dave Struch is back in the WHL with the Red Deer Rebels.
Struch was named the Rebels' interim head coach for the remainder of the season after Red Deer parted ways with Derrick Wasler.
After being fired by the Pats in 2021, Struch recently spent time as the Director of Hockey at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox. Struch served as the Pats assistant coach for four seasons from 2014 to 2018 before being promoted to head coach for three years until his firing in 2021.
REGINA PAT CANADIANS
The Regina Pat Canadians were slated to visit the Moose Jaw Warriors on Monday night for the second game of their opening-round, best-of-five Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League series.
Playing at home on Saturday, Regina won the opener 4-1. Moose Jaw's Bryce Boughen scored the only goal of the first period. Regina rallied with second-period goals from Eli Johnson, Ellis Mieyette and Jonah Sivertson. Steven Steranka completed Regina's scoring late in the third period.
Moose Jaw goalie Luke Mckechnie made 28 saves and Regina's Taylor Tabashniuk stopped 31 shots.
Game 3 will be on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. in Regina.
REGINA REBELS
The Regina Rebels also played on Monday night in a rescheduled game against Swift Current, originally supposed to be on Saturday.
It's the final game of the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League regular season for the Rebels, who already have first place locked up. Regina will receive a first-round by in the playoffs.
RIDERS SIGN DB HILL
The Riders added another American to the roster late last week as the club signed defensive back Holton Hill.
The 6-foot-2, 196-pound Hill played 26 games in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, after being signed by the team in 2018. After being let go by the Vikings, Hill spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals.
WORLD WHEELCHAIR CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saskatchewan's Gil Dash and Team Canada are off to a 3-0 start at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships in South Korea.
Team Canada topped the hosts 9-6 in their opening draw, before getting by Slovakia 6-4 and Italy 8-3. Canada is back in action on Tuesday against China, the same team that beat Canada in the gold medal match last year. The tournament continues through the week before the championship match on Saturday.
MIXED DOUBLES CURLING
Curling Canada announced that Assiniboia will play host to the 2025 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship from Nov. 2-8 next year.