Pats grab one point in shootout loss to Blades

The Saskatoon Blades came out on top Wednesday night at the Brandt Centre defeating the Regina Pats 2-1 in a shootout.

“I think that we competed really hard. I think we had a heck of a goalie performance but we took way too many penalties,” Pats’ head coach, Bread Herauf said following the game.

Herauf was referring to the nineteen minutes of penalties the team took in the game. However the Blades had fifteen penalty minutes of their own but were able to capitalize on the power play.

Saskatoon opened the scoring just over 12 minutes into the first period on a power play goal from forward Egor Sidorov. Heading into Wednesday’s matchup Sidorov was sitting in fifth in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in scoring and fifteenth in points.

“The penalties that we’re taking they’re not preventing goals, they’re 200 feet from the net. We’re trying to stick up for each other, the hearts in the right place, but situationally they’re just undisciplined penalties,” Herauf said.

After two periods Sidorov would stand as the only goal scorer so far. But the Blades were keeping Pats’ goaltender, Ewan Huet, on his toes with 25 shots on net after 40 minutes of play. The Pats had just 13.

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“He’s been excellent. He’s been getting better all the time. You can really see it in practice. We’re really happy [with his performance], he fits in well. He kept us in the game, he kept us relevant. He was our best penalty killer tonight and we needed him to be,” Herauf said.

“Personally I kind of take it one shot at a time. That’s how I get through it. Just don’t think just make saves,” said Huet, when asked about his performance that earned him the first star of the night.

In the third period the Pats quickly tied it up in less than three minutes with a goal from Jaxsin Vaughan to mark his second on the season. Parker Berge picked up the assist.

That would also stand as the only regulation goal for the Pats as the two headed to overtime. After three periods the Blades continued to outshoot the Pats 38-25.

Overtime would prove to not be enough as they took to a shootout which eventually saw Sidorov as the hero once again as his shot got past Huet on route to a 2-1 victory.

The game marked the two teams fifth of eight meetings this season, with the season series having been tied 2-2. Saskatoon has now taken the lead 3-2. The Pats have now dropped six of their last eight games while the Blades have won their last four.

The Pats will have a home-and-home with the Brandon Wheat Kings beginning Nov. 11 in Brandon then back at the Brandt Centre on Nov. 12.