The last time the Moose Jaw Warriors faced the Regina Pats, an atrocious start turned into one of the most chaotic games the two teams have played in recent seasons before Regina won in overtime.
As fate would have it, the Warriors once again spotted the Pats a four-goal lead in the first period, but this time there was no impressive comeback, as Regina would cruise to a 7-1 victory at the Brandt Centre in Regina.
The loss came with a huge caveat, though.
The contest was the first Western Hockey League game for the Pats in 14 days due to the league-wide COVID-19 outbreak, making them an incredibly well-rested crew, while the Warriors were playing their third game in three nights and coming off a hard-hitting battle with the Winnipeg Ice only 18 hours earlier.
Moose Jaw fell to 17-16-3-1 with the loss, Regina improved 15-17-0-0.
Jakob Book got the Pats on the board first and early, outduelling a Warriors defender in front of the net and poking the puck home to cap a stretch that saw a slew of Pats chances 2:44 into the game.
Connor Bedard -- who had four goals in the Pats’ 7-6 win their previous meeting -- scored on the power play 3:10 later, and 2:24 after that goal, Zack Stringer scored on a two-on-one break, ripping a shot top-shelf over Unger’s glove.
Tanner Howe then made it 4-0 at 11:53 with another power-play goal.
That was it for Unger, who allowed the four goals on 11 shots, leading to Carl Tetachuk coming on in relief. It marked the second game in a row the Warriors needed a goaltending change, after Tetachuk was pulled after the second period of Winnipeg’s 5-1 win a day earlier.
Jagger Firkus got one back for the Warriors on the power play before the period was out, as Ryder Korczak picked up his own rebound in the corner and fired a pass cross-ice to the NHL Central Scouting-ranked forward, who made no mistake with a quick shot that beat Matthew Kieper.
Cole Carrier restored the Pats’ four-goal lead 47 seconds into the second, taking a rebound off the back boards and putting a shot past Unger.
Howe scored with 3:50 remaining in the second and Drew Englot made it 7-1 Pats 6:16 into the third to close out scoring.
Tetachuk turned aside 25 shots through 48:07 of work, while the Warriors fired 22 at Kieper.
The Warriors are back in action Wednesday when they host the Calgary Hitmen. Game time is 7 p.m. at Mosaic Place.
