Kelton Pyne stepped up Saturday and back-stopped the Regina Pats to a home-opening 5-1 victory over the visiting Saskatoon Blades.
Only Jordan Keller (pictured) was able to solve the 18-year-old White City product on a first period power play that tied the score at 1-1. Otherwise, Pyne stopped the last 24 shots he faced in front of 3,867 fans at the Brandt Centre while his team-mates took advantage of their scoring chances. Brayden Barnett snapped the 1-1 tie in the second period with two straight goals while Tanner Howe, Borya Valis and Braxton Whitehead added singles, Whitehead’s tally into an empty net, as Regina starts the 2023-24 season at 1-0-1. In his W-H-L debut, Evan Gardiner stopped 13 of 17 shots in goal for the Bridge City Bunch, who will attempt to replicate what the Pats did Saturday, when they host the Prince Albert Raiders Sunday in their home opener. Game time is 4 p.m. at SaskTel Centre with CJWW’s broadcast beginning at 3:45. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L plus the audio highlights and Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interview with head coach Brennan Sonne…..
Saskatoon Blades 1 at Regina Pats 5 – Status: Final
Saturday, September 23, 2023 – Brandt Centre – Regina, SK
Saskatoon 1 0 0 – 1
Regina 1 2 2 – 5
1st Period-1, Regina, Howe 1 (Berge, Valis), 4:54 (PP). 2, Saskatoon, Keller 1 (Wright, Lisowsky), 12:49 (PP). Penalties-Wong Sas (slashing), 4:40; Krestanowich Reg (interference), 12:31.
2nd Period-3, Regina, Barnett 1 (Spencer), 8:35. 4, Regina, Barnett 2 (Michels), 12:48. Penalties-Barnett Reg (roughing), 3:27; Barnett Reg (checking to the head), 10:23; Barnett Reg (roughing), 12:48; Watterodt Sas (hooking), 19:08; Wright Sas (roughing), 19:08.
3rd Period-5, Regina, Valis 1 (Howe, Spencer), 14:57. 6, Regina, Whitehead 2 (Feist, Pyne), 15:49 (EN). Penalties-Temple Reg (holding), 3:07.
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 9-13-8-30. Regina 6-6-6-18.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 1 / 5; Regina 1 / 3.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Gardner 0-1-0-0 (17 shots-13 saves). Regina, Pyne 1-0-0-0 (30 shots-29 saves).
A-3,867
Referees-Troy Murray (34), Ty Skene (19).
Linesmen-Sean Dufour (50), Brent Vandermeulen (100).
