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The Regina Pats not only stole a playoff game on the road against one of the top teams in the WHL, but they also never trailed throughout Saturday’s game against the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Marek Schlenker stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced as the Pats goaltender started his first career WHL playoff game to backstop Regina to the 4-2 win at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat, Alta.
The win ties the series at one game apiece after Medicine Hat earned a 6-2 win over Regina on Friday night.
Saturday’s win was the first time Regina had beaten Medicine Hat this season, losing all four games against the Tigers during the regular season as well.
Regina came into the series as presumed underdogs, with Regina finishing with 59 points in the regular season while Medicine Hat put up 108 in the standings. Before the series, head coach Brad Herauf said you can’t have the mindset that Medicine Hat was the better team if you are the Pats.
After four power plays, one of them being a double-minor for Medicine Hat’s Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll for boarding, in the first 10 minutes of the game — Regina with three attempts at the man-advantage and the Tigers with one — things remained scoreless.
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But Regina’s Zachary Lansard opened the scoring when he tipped an Aiden Wagner shot past Medicine Hat goaltender Jordan Switzer. Switzer finished the game with 16 saves.
Only 1:10 later, Ethan Neutens would get things equal before the end of the first period.
Pats captain Ephram McNutt was the only player to score a goal in the second period as Regina once again claimed a lead.
Ruslan Karimov showcased the effort the Pats put in all night on his goal. He rushed down to beat an icing call and proceeded to flip a backhand past Switzer to extend Reginaès lead to two.
Markus Ruck, who led the WHL in points with 108 during the regular season, got Medicine Hat back within one when he was able to beat Schlenker.
But Regina wouldn’t surrender the lead this game, with Jace Egland fittingly putting the game away with an empty-net goal. Egland was all over the ice for Regina in the game, and his hard work was rewarded.
The Pats will now enjoy a couple of games in their home at the Brandt Centre. Game 3 is Tuesday with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
