REGINA PATS UPDATE - MATT STRUEBY OUT

Pats update (Strueby out)

By Greg Harder - Regina Leader Post

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Regina Pats will be without overage forward Matt Strueby for this weekend’s home-and-home set against the Swift Current Broncos.

Strueby, who’s second on the team with eight goals in 14 games, suffered a concussion during Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades when he was hit from behind by Travis Toomey. Toomey received a one-game suspension while Strueby is expected to miss about a week.

“Our trainer and medical staff is phenomenal with making sure the guys are where they need to be, especially when it comes to concussions,” noted head coach Curtis Hunt. “There is zero grey area here in Regina when it comes to the protocol.”

Pats forward Brayden Metz may also sit out Saturday’s game in Swift Current with a bruised foot suffered while blocking a shot on Wednesday. Meanwhile, RW Killian Hutt is slated to return after missing four games with the flu. He has three goals and four points in five games since being acquired from the Portland Winter Hawks.“We’ll see how much he plays,” said Hunt. “His fitness is a big concern of mine right now. It was getting there and then he got the flu. The flu can knock you out.

We’ll watch him closely but we’ll get him in.”

Forwards Jason Gardiner and Andrew Rieder are expected to get back in the lineup this weekend after being healthy scratches. G Damien Ketlo will start his fourth straight game Saturday after missing five in a row with a groin injury. He may also get the call Sunday at the Brandt Centre.

As for the Broncos, who have a 7-1 record on home ice . . . “It’s a great building to go into,” said Hunt. ‘They have a great home crowd. We want to try to take the crowd out of it. You’ve gotta minimize the turnovers or they’ll quick-transition you to death. It’s about making sure we all work to position, keep our shifts short and have a predator-like mentality in all three zones. It’s a game of mistakes. Everybody makes them. It’s about minimizing them.”