Bedard Clutch as Pats Beat Broncos 4-3

October 15, 2022 – Western Hockey League (WHL) – Regina Pats News Release

Swift Current, Sask. – With eight seconds left, Connor Bedard’s second of the night gave the Pats the lead, as the Regina Pats defeated the Swift Current Broncos 4-3 at the InnovationPlex on Friday.

The Pats led 1-0, 2-1, and 3-1 at various points during the contest before the Broncos battled back to tie the game early in the third period.

Sam Oremba (his first as a Pat) and Easton Armstrong scored for the Pats in the win. Drew Sim continued his strong play stopping 23 of 26 Bronco shots to move to a perfect 5-0 on the season.

Mathew Ward (2) and Josh Filmon replied for the Broncos in the loss. Reid Dyck held the Broncos in the game as he stopped 30 of 34 along the way.

OFFICIAL WHL BOXSCORE

THE GOALS

First Period

REG 1-0 at 48 seconds – Sam Oremba (1), assisted by Stanislav Svozil and Alexander Suzdalev // Suzdalev started an odd-man rush along the right win, passed the puck cross-ice to Svozil who fed a pass to the front of the net where Oremba chipped the puck over Reid Dyck to give the Pats a 1-0 lead.

SC 1-1 at 8:02 – Josh Filmon (3), assisted by Clarke Caswell and Adam McNutt // McNutt’s shot was directed wide by Drew Sim, but the puck bounced off the back boards to Caswell at Sim’s right where he fed a backdoor pass to Flimon who tapped it it to tie the game at 1-1.

REG 2-1 at 19:16 – Easton Armstrong (4), unassisted // Armstrong won the race past the Broncos defender, picked up the loose puck, and let a quick snapshot go that beat their netminder high to give the Pats a 2-1 lead late in the first frame.

Second Period

REG 3-1 at 11:37 – Connor Bedard (8), assisted by Tanner Howe and Alexander Suzdalev (PP) // Early on a powerplay, the Pats controled the offensive zone faceoff and Howe got the puck deep in the Broncos zone where he was able to get a quick pass to Bedard who one-timed the puck home to give the Pats a 3-1 lead at the midway point of the contest.

SC 3-2 at 17:38 – Mathew Ward (2), assisted by Connor Hvidston and Owen Pickering (PP) // The Broncos win an offensive zone faceoff, work it around the Pats zone and Hvidston fed Ward who fired a one-timer from the slot that Sim got a piece of but the puck trickled through to get the Broncos back to within one at 3-2.

Third Period

SC 3-3 at 4:30 – Mathew Ward (3), unassisted (SH) // With the Pats on the powerplay and having trouble controlling the puck in their own zone, Ward stole the puck from a Pat player who put a shot on Sim that snuck through to tie the game up at 3-3.

REG 4-3 at 19:53 – Connor Bedard (9), assisted by Borya Valis and Tanner Howe // With time running out and the Pats pressing, Valis found Bedard with a nice pass in close who put home the winner with less than 8 seconds left to give the Pats a 4-3 lead and the win.

STATISTICS

SOG: REG – 12-8-14-34 | SC -11-11-4-26

PP: REG – 1/7 | SC – 1/1

Face-Offs: REG – 37 | SC – 36

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Regina: Drew Sim (26 shots/23 saves)

Swift Current: Reid Dyck (34 shots/30 saves)

3 STARS

First: Mathew Ward (2G) – Broncos

Second: Connor Bedard (2G, GWG) – Pats

Third: Alexander Suzdalev (2A) – Pats

NOTES

It took five games, but hometown product Sam Oremba finally dented the twine for the Pats.

Tanner Howe picked up his 50th (and 51st) career assist in his 82nd career game with the Pats.

Connor Bedard extended his point streak to nine games (9G-10A-19PTS). He now leads the team in goals, assists, points, and penalty minutes.

Drew Sim continued his hot start and moved to 5-0-0-0 on the season. He now sports a 2.38 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.

Easton Armstrong has scored in back-to-back games for the second time in his career and now has seven points in 10 games on the season.

Alexander Suzdalev had his third two-point game in his last five contests.

The Pats have now won three-straight and four of their last five games.

UP NEXT

The Queen City Kids return to the Brandt Centre on Sunday, October 16th when they brace for the Lethbridge Hurricanes to come to town. Game time is 4:00 PM.

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