Pats, Blades write latest chapter in WHL's Battle of Saskatchewan

By Dhiren Mahiban

As the regular season in the Western Hockey League winds down this week, the rivalry between the Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats heated up yet again.

The two clubs combined for 50 penalty minutes during a second-period line brawl Thursday night. Mason McCarty appeared to spark the melee with some words apparently directed towards Regina defenceman Jared Freadrich after McCarty scored to give the visiting Blades a 1-0 lead.

The latest in the rivalry between the Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats saw the two Western Hockey League clubs combine for 50 penalty minutes during a second period line brawl on Wednesday night.

Once the dust settled, Saskatoon’s Anthony Bishop and Terrell Draude along with Regina’s Freadrich and Aaron Macklin each picked up five minutes for fighting. Draude and Macklin also received game misconducts.

Pats centre Jake Leschyshyn - the son of former NHLer Curtis Leschyshyn – wound up with a minor penalty for roughing in the altercation. Colby Williams, the Regina captain and a Washington Capitals prospect, also received a cross-checking minor.

Williams, who returned to the Pats lineup after missing 29 games due to an upper body injury, admitted post-game his club felt they deserved a better fate after 20 minutes.

“Was a little frustrated, we thought we deserved a little bit more and the goalie came up big,” Williams told 620 CKRM Regina’s Phil Andrews. “We just needed a couple bounces to go our way. We didn’t see that in the first and a little bit in the second there, but I’m glad we persevered through that.”

When play resumed, Saskatoon had the man advantage, and took a 2-0 on their fourth shot of the game as Wyatt Sloboshan found the back of the net for his 17th of the season.

Pats centre Adam Brooks tied the game 2-2 with his 38th goal of the season at 16:07 of the second. The goal adds to the 19-year-old’s lead a top the WHL scoring race. Brooks (115 points) is now two ahead of Moose jaw Warriors’ forward, and Florida Panthers property, Dryden Hunt (113 points).

Regina, who holds the second wild-card seed in the Eastern Conference, battled back to win the game 5-3 on the strength of three unanswered third period goals. The Blades, the second-worst team in the WHL this season with 54 points, lost their fifth straight game.

“We really carried the momentum for a majority of the night,” said Pats’ assistant coach Dave Struch. “Obviously out-shooting them as bad as we did in the first, we took our foot off the gas in the second. But you’ve got to give (Saskatoon) a lot of credit for sticking with it and their work ethic.

“They pushed back, it took us a while to respond. We did in the third and that’s what you have to do in games like this.”