Regina Pats looking for smoother roads ahead

Through 12 games, the Pats season has kind of been like driving around Regina; at times the drive is smooth, then suddenly you may face bumps and potholes all around you before it’s smooth again.

The Pats are 6-5-1-0 this year as they continue to search for some degree of consistency.

“We talk about (it) all the time, when you’ve got a young team there’s going to be a lot of inconsistencies,” said assistant coach Dave Struch.

“Our consistent base is going to be on playing fast and playing hard. The hockey IQ comes with experience. The more you play the better teams, the more you play against the players that have experience in the league, the better you’re going to be.”

The team’s goal is to reach a point where they are winning far more games than they’re losing. Even the most-consistent teams are going to lose from time to time.

The Pats will get a good test when it comes to their consistency on Friday night when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Pats are coming off a loss to the Prince Albert Raiders, a loss where they played one of the better games of the year.

Now, they have to prove they can do it again against a team that’s started the year hot.

“We can’t keep getting high and getting low like a roller coaster,” said defenceman Chase Harrison.

“We need to sort of get on that climb and get to the top.”

Right now, the way the East Division is shaping up the Pats might need to find that consistency sooner rather than later.

Before the season began, not much was expected of any team except for the Pats or the Brandon Wheat Kings. Just over a month and a half into the season, every team in the division has reached double digit point totals. No other division in the WHL can say that.

“I think everyone’s really good. You look at Brandon, Moose Jaw, PA, they’re all gunning for playoff spots. It’s going to be tight,” said forward Adam Brooks.

In his 12 or so years coaching in the league, Struch doesn’t remember a time when this division was off to this good of a start.

Struch admits that they didn’t see themselves in the mix to win the division but having the teams they play the most playing good hockey is a good thing.

“We knew there would be two or three other teams ahead of us because of their age and their experience,” he said.

“It’s good for us to have that because you play those teams more often. It helps your program get better. That’s what our goal is last year and this year to build a program. Then to start the process to have a really good product on the ice.”

Puck drop Friday night at the Brandt Centre is at 7 p.m.

The Pats and Warriors meet again on Saturday afternoon at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw.