Pink The Rink!

Photo: reginapats.com

Game #18
Friday, November 2nd
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m.

Regina Pats (6-10-1-0)///Calgary Hitmen (8-4-1-2)

Head-to-Head
The Pats host the Hitmen at the Brandt Centre for the first time of the 2012-13 campaign.  The Blue and White held a 2-2-0-0 record against Calgary last season.  Lane Scheidl and Dyson Stevenson led current Pats in scoring against the Hitmen with three points each.  Victor Rask was the top Calgary scorer against Regina with five points in four games.  Both teams head into tonight’s contest trying to break out of three game losing streaks.  You can listen to tonight’s game on 620 CKRM with the Press Box Sports Bar Pre-Game Show starting at 6:35.

Lead Up: Pats Fall to Blades
The Pats entered the third period down 2-1 in the contest, but Lane Scheidl’s second goal of the contest evened things in the late stages.  The Pats couldn’t complete the third period comeback as Shane McColgan scored the winner just 53 seconds after Scheidl’s goal.  A late surge from the Pats couldn’t beat Andrey Makarov and the final sat 3-2 Saskatoon.

Breast Cancer Awareness Night
The Pats take the night to honour breast cancer survivors, promote cancer awareness and raise money to support the search for a cure.  Pink ice, pink jerseys and special ceremonies make tonight’s one of the largest game night undertakings of the Pats Promotional season.  Tonight’s game will be followed by a public skate so Pats fans have the chance to skate on the pink ice.  The Pats pink jerseys will also be auctioned off during the game on the Brandt Centre concourse with the proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society for Breast Cancer Research in Saskatchewan.  One dollar from every walk up ticket sold to tonight’s game will also go to the cause along with the proceeds from the Pink Toques sold through the month and this evening.

Multi-Point Games
Morgan Klimchuk has back-to-back multi-point games with two goals against Medicine Hat and two assists against Saskatoon.  Klimchuk has four multi-point games on the season.
 
Bearing the Offensive Burden
Facing injuries, the Pats need players to step up and provide extra offence.  Lane Scheidl has upped his production in a big way.  Scheidl has a four game point streak over which he has six points (4G, 2A).  The Pats veteran had twelve points in the month of October.

Who to Watch on Calgary
Brooks Macek leads the way offensively for the Hitmen with 21 points in 14 games.  The Hitmen also feature Jake Virtanen, the first overall pick in the 2011 Bantam Draft.  The rookie has four goals in 14 games this season.

Quick Hits
-The Pats penalty kill on home ice has been solid this season at 80.5%
- Five Regina prospects are participating in the U16 Challenge this weekend in Calgary (Brady Reagan, Drew Litwin, Austin Wagner, Rylee Zimmer and Rykr Cole)
- Lane Scheidl is tied for third in the league in the “first goals” category, scoring the first goal of the game three times

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I know it's not really pink (more of a fuschia, but I tried). Pink ice, pink sweaters and most likely pink stick tape. It's going to be a pink night. Hopefully we as fans will pack the rink.

Go! Pats! Go!