REGINA PATS - vs. MOOSE JAW WARRIORS

vs.

Tuesday, February 23 - By: Rod Pedersen - Regina Pats CKRM Broadcaster.

One single bad break in the third period Tuesday night could well sum up the way this 2009-2010 season has gone for the Regina Pats.

With the game tied 2-2 and just 4:39 minutes into the third, the Pats had six skaters on the ice due to a delayed penalty to the Warriors. In the Moose Jaw zone, a pass to the point went over Colten Teubert's stick and slithered all the way down into Regina's empty net. Dylan McIlrath of the Warriors got credit for the goal and although it wasn't the game winner, it was symbolic.

In what was likely a must-win game for the Pats, the teams were tied 1-1 after the opening 20 minutes on goals by Moose Jaw's Dylan Hood and Regina's Brett Leffler. It was 2-2 after two on goals by Hood and Regina's Myles Bell.

The McIlrath goal gave the Warriors a 3-2 third period lead although less than a minute later, Pats captain Colten Teubert tied the game 3-3 with a powerplay goal at 5:12 of the third period. But the Warriors' Quinton Howden got the eventual game-winner on a goal mouth scramble, beating Regina's Damien Ketlo at 12:51 to give the Warriors the one goal lead. They never gave it up.

Game over: Moose Jaw 4 Pats 3. Pats assistant coach Shaun Sutter called the McIlrath goal "a horrible break" on the postgame show and commented "in the end, that goal was the difference". The Pats now are seven points back of the Warriors for the final playoff spot with nine games left.

Regina outshot the Warriors 33-32 including 18-6 in the third period ... Regina was 1/4 on the powerplay and 2/4 killing penalties ... Pats fall to 26-30-3-4 and the Warriors improve to 29-24-4-4 ... Moose Jaw wins the Mayor's Cup season series 7-1 and Warriors' goalie Jeff Bosch was in net for all the wins including Tuesday night. Pats coach Curtis Hunt reportedly told reporters after the game that trading Bosch to Moose Jaw was "a mistake".