KOOTENAY ICE - 4 vs. REGINA PATS - 5 (OT)

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Tonight it is Kootenay Ice against the Regina Pats 7:00 pm at Brandt Centre, 6:35 pm Press Box Sports Pre-Game Show on 620 CKRM with Broadcaster Rod Pedersen and Colorman Al Dumba. The last three games Regina Pats played, resalted in shot outs, which they lost. With just 17 games left in the WHL season, the Pats are currently 7 points behind the Moose Jaw Warriors for the 8th and final playoff spot, and 8 back of the Prince Albert Raiders for 7th. place.

GAME SUMMARY: - By Ron C. Johnston - Kootenay Ice Jesse Ismond recieved a pass from Max Reinhart at the righ face-off circle. Jesse shot and the puck changed direction as he scored at 5:39.

In the second period Kootenay, short handed went up 2-0 when Dustin Sylvester stole the puck at Regina's Blue Line and went in on the net and scored on a back hand at 7:07. Regina came back with two goals with in three minutes, the first had Carter Ashton receive a pass and score at 8:52, assisted by Myles Bell and Hampus Gustafsson. The second had Andrew Reader scored when he went to the net and scored on a rebound at 11:49, assisted by Tomas Hricina and Mitch Spooner. Kootenay went up 3-2 three minutes later when Ismond received a pass from infront of the net and scored at 14:41, assisted by Matt Fraser.

Kootenay went up 4-2 when Ismond scored (his third goal) a hat trick as he skated across the goal crease and score at 8:12, assisted by Fraser. It looked like it was over for the Regina Pats, but Regina scored two goals in one minute in the dying moments. With Carter parked right infront of the net helped Cody Carlson score at 18:07, assisted by Colten Teubert and Jordan Eberle. Who else to tie the game and force over time, but (you guessed it) Eberle. He picked up a loose puck and cut in from the left and score with only 55 seconds remaining.

Regina Pats won their first over time this season. On the only shot of overtime, Jordan Eberle set up linemate Jordan Weal in Kootenay Ice left-hand circle and Weal slid it cross-ice to Mitch Spooner on the right faceoff dot and he buried it up under the crossbar at 2:15. Pats win 5-4. With Eberle's two points (39-40-79) it moves him into second place in the WHL scoring, only 2 points behind Vancouver's Craig Cunningham. Eberle's 39 goals puts him first in goals.

Sometimes this team makes it awfully tough to cheer for them and I don't blame the dozens of fans who headed to the exits with five or so minutes remaining. However apparently the Pats used it as motivation.

"We saw people getting up and leaving," said Pats assistant coach Shaun Sutter on the postgame show. "We were booed and we were heckled but we hung around and got it done. It seems nobody but our players and staff believes we can get into the playoffs but we're going to fight tooth and nail until this is all over."

Regina Pats goaltender, Damien Ketlo has had his ups and downs this season, battling back from both a sprained hip flexor and a partially separated shoulder. The one good thing the Pats can count on is how good he has been at home. Ketlo is 13-2-0-4 at the Brandt Centre.

The Pats have three defencemen in the team's top ten scorers. Colten Teubert leads with 33 points; Brandon Davidson has 30 and Cody Carlson are right behind him with 29.

Jordan Eberle is second in the WHL with 79 points, 2 points back of Craig Cunningham for the league lead. Eberle is the top goal scorer in the country.