For 40 minutes Friday, the Saskatoon Blades held Connor Bedard (pictured) to just one goal, yet trailed 3-2 in Regina. In the third period, the Pats’ superstar centre got loose for two more goals and a pair of assists to lead Regina to a 7-4 triumph over the Bridge City Bunch.
Bedard’s second point of the night was the 200th of his W-H-L career. It was also the turning point of the game as he set up Braxton Whitehead for a short-handed goal that gave the Pats a 4-2 lead. From there, the consensus first overall pick in the 2023 N-H-L Draft upped his season point total to 75, including 34 goals, and Regina improved their record to 20-19-2 for the season as they defeated the 26-8-3 Blue and Gold for the first time in three tries. While Bedard was a member of Team Canada, that beat Czechia in the recent World Junior Hockey Championship final, he is team-mates with the Pats with the Czech captain and defenceman Stanislav Svozil, who chipped in four assists. For the Blades, Trevor Wong had a goal and two assists with Brandon Lisowsky, Egor Sidorov and Tanner Molendyk also connecting. The Bridge City Bunch were 2-for-3 on the power play, but Whitehead’s goal was the first short-handed tally Saskatoon had surrendered this season. The Blue and Gold get right back on the ice Saturday night when they host the C-H-L’s second-ranked team, the Seattle Thunderbirds, at 7 o’clock at SaskTel Centre. CJWW’s broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L, the audio highlights and the Post-Game Show interview with head coach Brennan Sonne…..
Saskatoon Blades 4 at Regina Pats 7 – Status: Final
Friday, January 13, 2023 – Brandt Centre – Regina, SK
Saskatoon 1 1 2 – 4
Regina 1 2 4 – 7
1st Period-1, Regina, Bedard 32 (Svozil, Suzdalev), 14:44 (PP). 2, Saskatoon, Wong 14 (Lisowsky), 15:12. Penalties-Hansen Sas (tripping), 14:05.
2nd Period-3, Regina, Stringer 2 (Howe, Svozil), 12:16 (PP). 4, Regina, Quiring 4 (Brown, Valis), 12:54. 5, Saskatoon, Sidorov 19 (De La Gorgendiere, Wong), 19:52 (PP). Penalties-Hansen Sas (high sticking), 12:07; Shugrue Sas (high sticking), 16:16; Rowan Reg (hooking), 19:19.
3rd Period-6, Regina, Whitehead 4 (Bedard, Feist), 2:20 (SH). 7, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 21 (Chiasson, Wong), 12:33 (PP). 8, Regina, Bedard 33 (Suzdalev, Svozil), 13:36. 9, Regina, Bedard 34 (Howe), 15:17. 10, Regina, Valis 15 (Bedard, Svozil), 15:34. 11, Saskatoon, Molendyk 5 (Hansen), 15:53. Penalties-Berge Reg (holding), 1:32; Gustafson Sas (hooking), 4:12; served by Lisowsky Sas (too many men), 7:13; Ginnell Reg (slashing), 11:16; Sidorov Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 15:17; Howe Reg (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 15:17.
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 7-8-10-25. Regina 7-9-9-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 2 / 3; Regina 2 / 5.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Chadwick 12-5-0-1 (25 shots-18 saves). Regina, Sim 16-10-1-0 (25 shots-21 saves).
A-5,651
Referees-Chris Crich (20), Josh Grimm (76).
Linesmen-Lucas Nagel (170), Brent Vandermeulen (100).
