Regina Pats beat Red Deer Rebels at their own game
The Regina Pats defeated the Red Deer Rebels 3-2 on Saturday night at the Brandt Centre to win the season series with a 3-0-1 record.
by Greg HarderThe Regina Pats aren’t necessarily disappointed to see the last of the Red Deer Rebels.
Although Regina (7-17-3-0) has enjoyed more success against Red Deer (10-16-0-3) than any other club in the WHL this season, Brent Sutter’s young squad has been true to its reputation, making the Pats fight to the bitter end for every point they’ve received.
That trend continued Saturday night at the Brandt Centre when Regina hung on for a 3-2 victory, wrapping up the season series at 3-0-1.
In a vacuum, the head-to-head record suggests the Pats might like to see more of Red Deer.
“I don’t know about that,” said defenceman Zach Wytinck, who had two assists Saturday. “You have to take your wins when you can get them. It’s a hard league to win games. We’ve been fortunate enough to have success against them.”
All four meetings between the Pats and Rebels have been decided by a single goal. Two of them required more than 60 minutes, with Regina prevailing in a shootout while Red Deer picked up an overtime win.
Saturday’s finale didn’t require OT, but it very easily could have.
“It’s just the style of game we both play,” Wytinck said. “Red Deer plays a really hard game. They play a physical north-south game and we like to do the same. We like to play fast and get the puck in low and grind down there and try to outwork the other team. When we play each other, we match up really well. It just comes down to execution and work ethic. I thought we really brought it (Saturday).”
So did the Rebels, who outshot Regina 14-7 in the third period and 28-24 overall.
The Pats bent but didn’t break, which is why their one-goal lead stood up for 26-plus minutes after Ty Kolle scored the go-ahead marker at 13:28 of the second period.
“We always come out and play (well) against them,” said Pats forward Robbie Holmes. “They’re also a hard-working team. We stick to our game and it seems like it works out.”
It doesn’t hurt that the Rebels are the league’s youngest team.
That said, they entered Saturday’s contest having won three consecutive games — a streak which began after their 4-3 setback versus Regina on Nov. 30.
Despite some ups and downs, Red Deer’s promising roster has started to come of age.
“The last five, six games have been the best hockey we’ve played,” offered Sutter, the Rebels’ head coach, GM and owner. “Full marks to the Pats. They work and compete. They’re a fast team. They forecheck hard. They’re somewhat similar to us in the sense they’re kind of in a retooling stage. But the fans were treated to a good game tonight.”
Sutter’s squad can see daylight at the end of the tunnel in Year 4 after playing host to the 2016 Memorial Cup. The Pats are in just the second season of their rebuild following the 2018 CHL championship in Regina.
Sutter feels their pain, but he believes the team has gotten better since the start of the campaign.
“They’re a different team now than they were six weeks ago, two months ago,” he said. “That’s what happens (through) progression in this league as far as development with young players. It takes time. It’s something you have to have a lot of patience with, especially on your coaching staff. You just have to continue to work and work and work with them.”
The Pats’ hard work is paying off with a 4-3-1 record in their past eight games. The first seven contests were all on the road before a triumphant return to the Brandt Centre on Saturday.
“It was a good, hard game where we were behind early but we stuck with it,” said head coach Dave Struch. “We were back a little bit on our heels in the third period, but that’s the game of hockey. Red Deer is a team that’s well coached and they’re going to work just as hard. They had the same game plan as us — to try and outwork the opponent. (You have to) match their work ethic. Our guys did it.”