FIFTY!

That is right. Ebs potted his fiftieth goal tonight in Brandon and received a standing ovation. Naturally, he kept the puck. He also had his picture up on the scoreboard to salute his junior career.

Needless to say, that it OUT-freakin’-STANDING. Congrats to him! Obviously, we all wish him all the best in his future endeavours. Wow. That was cheesy. These endeavours could be Team Canada at the Worlds this year, though. That’s the latest Jordan Eberle rumour. He may also be sent straight to Springfield as early as Sunday or Monday.

As for the rest of the team, they held it together pretty well against the Wheaties. They only lost 3-1. Brandon scored once in each period. Eberle potted the lone goal in the second. I have to say that although it is a loss, it wasn’t too terrible.  Nothing like 9-3 or 10-2. I would say as losses go, not too bad.

Anyway, I’ll put more up in the morning! Have a great summer off, folks. I hope to see the Pats out and about in the community though!

An Emotional Evening

Tonight marked the last home game and second last game of the Pats season. In less than twenty-four hours, the season will be over, ending with the second half of the home and home series against Brandon.

I found tonight to be really emotional. I’m a girl, so I’m allowed to be emotional. I’ll get into details and nitpicking later, but for now, time to let the feelings show.

I’m feeling pretty bummed about loosing so badly. 9-3. Not so hot. It’s much better than 10-2, but it is still pretty disheartening in front of a huge crowd. Apparently the Brandt Centre was sold out. There were a lot of empty seats though. I’m also feeling really bummed that Matt Strueby was held off the score sheet tonight, his last ever home game. 

Now on to why I’m proud. Leffler potted the first Pats goal in his final home game. Mitch McColm gets this gal’s bravery award for taking a puck to the face then continuing to play really well. Colten Teubert gets a high five for the beauty of a fight he had against Jordan Hale. Not going to lie, he is sexy. Really sexy when he fights. Jordan Eberle got his 49th of the season on a power play (and my section won a bag of chips!). Words can’t express the pride I feel for these guys. It’s too bad that they lost, but I’m still so proud.

Another reason I’m proud – at the end of the game, they came out on the ice to get a standing ovation with their heads held high. Then when he was leaving, Teubert gave his stick to the little boy sitting right in front of me. He was stoked. I got all choked up. Then Eberle gave his stick away after winning first star. I got all choked up again. Then the whole team came back and passed out their sticks. I think they should have passed out kisses too, but I’ll just have to talk to Brent Parker about that for next season.

A lovely, funny note for the night: Mitch McColm is a character. Some dumb chick behind me shouted out “McColm! I love you!” To which looked up at her and gave her a smile and a fun little wink. It was kind of cute. I’m pretty sure she was 13, so it was hilarious.

I’m bummed because my dreams of ever meeting Jordan Eberle have come crashing down. He’ll be “deported,” for lack of a better word, down to Springfield on Sunday. Unless he sneaks over to my house tonight, I’ll never meet him. Annnnd that is pretty unlikely, considering he doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground. Darn! I would love to sit down and just talk to the guy. He seems fascinating. Regardless, I don’t have enough great things to say about the guy as a person (from accounts of people I know as well as seeing him with the kids at the games) and as a player (no explanation required).

So as you can see, I had a really emotional evening. Many highs and lows. Mostly highs though.

Tomorrow the Pats are in Brandon. I’m not expecting a win, but it would be nice to be close. Regardless, I want to see some gloves hit the ice. A solid fight or two would be just lovely. Failing that, Eberle needs just one goal. I’ll be happy if we lose 99-1, so long as that one is Eberle’s.

Adios for now! Go Pats!

PS. I hope the Pats come home and have a party next weekend. They should invite me. (Okay, that would never happen. If it did, I promise it will be on my blog before 6am the following day. I’d love to meet the players and get to know they man behind the pads. Plus, lots of them are drop-dead sexy. Sorry… that was the girl inside me jumping out! Whoops!)

Last Farewell

Well the Leader Post stole my catchy title (they used “End of an Era”… I was going to be more creative and use “End of Eberle’s Era,” but it was too close. Darn!) Anyway, tonight is the last chance Regina has to say farewell to Jordan Eberle, Colten Teubert, Matt Strueby, Brett Leffler, and Mitch McColm.

As a fan, the feeling is somewhat like watching a child grow up. Eberle has grown up with the Pats, spending all four years here, as has Teubert. Now considering that they have been drafted a while back, it’s more than likely that we won’t see them ever again, kind of like watching your little baby go off to college. Only difference is that they won’t be strapped for cash.

Hopefully Ebs gets 2 goals tonight to hit the big five-oh (50). Can you imagine the nearly sold out Brandt Centre? It would be a zoo. I’m driving and I don’t drink, but I might have to have a beer to that. Either that I might have to go out and celebrate afterwards.

Hopefully Teubert will either not get in a fight or that he will knock some sucker out. Either way  I would be thrilled. In my opinion, I kind of want to see a good ol’ bench clearing brawl. It would be rather fabulous, actually. I’m not typically a violent person, but something about it kinda turns me on (just a reminder, I’m a girl, so it’s all good).

Anyway, I hope the Pats mop the floor with the Wheat Kings. Knock them off their throne, ya know? It would be great. Being the spoiler of the league is kind of fun. Taking everyone down with us has been rather satisfying.

As always (and louder than ever tonight) GO PATS GO!!!!!

The Pats Light It Up in Toon Town

And that would be 3 in a row. Wins, that is. Actually, the Pats have won 4 of their 5 last games. Which game was the one they lost? The one that knocked them out of playoffs. Anyway, back to good news.

Last night, the Pats won 3-2 over the Blades and held the lead for all 3 periods. Dawson Guhle was in net and held off the goals until just before the buzzer in the second period. That would be nearly 5 periods as a shut out. Well done!

Jordan Eberle potted to markers last night raising his tally to 106 points and 48 goals. Myles Bell scored the game winner in the third.  The win ties the Pats with the PA Raiders in standings with 67 points a piece. Both have home and home series to finish off their season. The Raiders host and visit the Blades, while the Pats host then visit the Wheat Kings.

Speaking of which, the last home game is on Friday and according to Rod Pederson, there are less than 900 tickets left as of 1:00pm today. It’s the last chance to see Jordan Eberle, Colten Teubert (probably), Mitch McColm, Matt Strueby, and Brett Leffler in action. Hopefully they can all do some damage and finish off their year on a good note.

Now, what did I tell, ya! No pressure = good hockey. Something about their mindset has allowed them to play like superstars. The are finally living up to their potential. They are a great team on paper, and now they are a great team on ice. I guess the ultimate test will be how they hold up against the Wheat Kings in their last two games. Wouldn’t it be great to be in ninth and just two points shy of playoffs? Well, sort of I guess. I would pretty much suck, actually. Had they won one of those games they should have (think Lethbridge, Edmonton, etc……) earlier in the year. Darn.

Anyway, Go Pats Go! I’ll be watching on Friday, albeit a little late, but I’ll be watching! Best of luck and I hope you cream the Wheaties. (A couple good fights would be nice too!)

Next On the Radar….

Tonight, the Pats take on the Blades in Saskatoon. This should be an interesting match, considering that the Pats had a shut out last game 3-0 a few weeks back. That shut out is credited to Dawson Guhle, so I hope that he gets to play tonight. Clearly something he did worked well, so why not do it again.

The Blades have won 4 of the 7 match ups this season. While they are fighting for the current division title, the Pats seem to be on a mission to squelch hopes. If we are going down, we’re taking everyone around us with us. It’s so true. The Pats have pretty much dissolved the measley hopes of the PA Raiders thanks to a 6-3 victory on the weekend, not to mention that they have won every game (well both games) since they were mathematically elliminated from playoffs.

So what can we hope for tonight. Well, obviously another shut out or at least a win. Duh. Jordan Eberle is 4 goals away from 50, so it’d be great to see his tally go up a point or two. Jordan Weal is 1 point from the century mark, so hopefully he can cross that boarder tonight. The last  few games made it was pretty clear that when the Pats want to, they can out play any team in the league, especially the Blades. The Blades have some brutes and lots of presence, but the Pats have a pretty skillful team. I guess the general goal (no pun intended) of the game is to just play better hockey with raw talent and steer clear of getting smooshed like a bug.

I heard a rumour that the game will be broadcast on Access7 and Shaw tonight, but Rod will be for sure broadcasting it on 620 CKRM. He’s always a safe and entertaining bet.

As always, GO PATS!

PS. I will be doing a post once the season is over about the players awards. I want the last few to be determined (in Brandon on Saturday) before I start writing.

Sorry I Took Sooo Long!

Oh my gosh. Killer weekend. The Pats cleaned up. What did I tell, ya. No pressure = players playing the hockey they love = winning. The perfect formula some might say.

Well, it all started Friday night when the Pats stomped the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-2. Yes. I mean, we all sort of expected the win, but that little W and those two wonderful points are still a thrill. Yes, they won’t be enough, but it is awfully lovely to have them! On Friday night, the Pats paid tribute to our soldiers with a Red Friday theme, fully inclusive of their jerseys and soldiers descending from the rafters. What a spectacular idea! Having said that, the Pats were pretty heavily criticized for a “sluggish” game. It seemed like their hearts just weren’t really in it. I mean hockey is hockey, but it was a bit of an off night. Not the fast-paced, heart-racing game most would expect. Listening to Rod Pederson call the game while on the highway was exciting, but he did mention the lackluster vibe in the building.

Saturday was much more exciting though. The PA Raiders came to town. And we went to town with them. The Pats showed no mercy by picking up a quick few goals late in the third to squash the Raiders 6-3. Apparently this weekend our boys were practicing their two times tables.  Best part of the evening? Okay, that’s hard to peg, but Jordan Eberle had 4 assists and one disallowed goal (it snuck in when the goal was off its post), bringing his total (not including the goal) to 102 points. He hit the century mark. Jordan Weal is also aiming for that milestone, and currently sits in second behind Eberle for league scoring with a spectacular 99 points. Did I mention he is only 17?

Also a highlight on Saturday was fan appreciation night. What did this entail? Naturally, prizes, but also a free skate with the Pats after the games, which included actually meeting them and autographs. I wasn’t there, but apparently Eberle was swamped. Gee… I wonder why! Having said that, he still found time to talk to the people he was meeting.

Only one home game remains this season, which will be next Friday in a home and home battle against the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Pats take on the Blades in Toon Town on Wednesday to try to reclaim another shut out. Best of luck!

PS. Another rumour – because of the Scotties Tournment of Hearts in Swift Current, the Broncos may be playing three games of the first round playoffs at the Brandt Centre! While it won’t be Pats hockey, I might go anyway, just for the sake of it!

Cherry on the Cake

Okay, it’s not really that great like cake or cherries are, but the Pats, thanks to the Swift Current Broncos, have sealed the deal on their playoff fate. It’s not the greatest one. The Pats fought hard to win this game, but they now sit 11 points out of playoffs with only 5 games to go. Therefore, it would be impossible to make playoffs even if they won every single game. Sigh. I think I need a serious cup of hot chocolate and many cookies and brownies to help grieve the loss.

Well, I may as well look at the plus side.  Jordan Eberle got his 300th point in his WHL career on an assist on the goal that belonged to Matt Strueby (35th of the season). Eberle scored his 46th (151st in his WHL career) of the season as well on a 6 on 4 power play (they pulled goalie Dawson Guhle). Guhle spent about 7 seconds in goal in the last 5 minutes as the Pats unsuccessfully tried to battle back the three then two then three goal deficit (Eakin scored on the empty net).

One other exciting thing! Eberle is leading in scoring with 97 points this season. I’m REALLY hoping he hits 100 really soon. You know, before his season’s over. Jordan Weal is sitting in second with 94 points. Eberle is also two markers short of top spot for most goals. Matt Strueby is in 13th. This to me makes no sense. The Pats have argueable the best players in the league (this also includes Teubert), yet when they need to win, it doesn’t happen. Is the team to bipolar — i.e. are there really strong players and weak players – and they therefore just don’t mix or is it that the superstars act like it and don’t play as a team? I think most definitely none of the above. So what is it then? This just boggles me. The accomplishments despite their team amaze me, but I just don’t get it.  

What else is there to say? I guess the Pats need to have a good last few games and play because they love to play hockey. I predict that they will have an outstanding last few games because there is no pressure. Think about it. Pats shut out the Blades.Why? They were pretty much expected to lose, and they won. So what do you think will happen once they have no pressure? Excellence. That’s my prediction.

Rod Pederson had an interesting comment as the buzzer sounded. He said “Time runs out. Does it ever.” He was referring to their playoff hopes.

So who was the Hardest Working Pat? I would say Eberle or Strueby. Molson Three Stars should have been: 1) Morgan Clark, 2) Cody Eakin, and 3) Eberle. That was NOT the case. Eberle didn’t make it, nor did Eakin, which really surprised me. Eberle was indeed the hardest working Pat, but I would like to send out some much deserved cootos to Strueby.

There really isn’t much else to critique or say that they need to work on. I guess they need to start playing to fight for their spot on the bench next year. I feel pretty bad for the older guys like Eberle, Colten Teubert, Brett Leffler, and Strueby (and anyone else I missed) who are in their last season as a Pat. It would have been so rewarding to come up from behind and make it. Too bad! On the bright side, some of the up and coming players will be called up to get some experience.

What’s in the Pats’ future? Well, they have five games left to make a statement. They will play the Hurricanes at home on Friday. On Saturday, they play the Raiders for Fan Appreciation Night.

I thought it was really interesting that Shaun Sutter bluntly said that the Pats were just “flat-out not good enough.” I’m glad that he didn’t pussyfoot around the issue. It’s true. They played really well the last several games and just couldn’t catch a break. Seems like a shame, but it is hard to admit that they aren’t as good as they needed to be. That shows some great composure. I also was pretty interested to hear Darren Eberle’s interview with Rod Pederson. It was nice to hear about the kid underneath the gear. I didn’t like part of the interview Rod did with Dawson Guhle the other night which was aired during the second intermission. He spent most of the interview talking about Guhle, which I liked, but then he made some wise crack that he should divide the puck that Guhle kept to commemorate his shut out and split it with Eberle because Eberle scored. I am a die-hard Eberle fan, but when you are giving the guy attention for something great, he should get the all attention, especially when it is Guhle’s first big career highlight. Regardless, I still enjoyed listening to the interview and found it really interesting.

All I can say is that it will be a long bus ride home tonight, and that I’m so sorry guys. I wish the Pats all well for the last few games of the season and want them to go out and kick some ass to prove a point. Let’s aim for 9th since we can’t make 8th.

Yet Another Big Game

As I have said for the umteenth time, this is a big game. The Broncos are sitting in the eighth and final playoff spot. Okay, the Pats might not catch them because of the nine-point deficit (with only 6 games to go), but it would be nice to move up to tenth, only a four point leap. Nothing that isn’t accomplishable, that is if the Pats play like they have the last few games.

One of those games came Friday night against the Broncos. The Pats were winning until a late goal changed everything leaving the Pats hungry for a win and pointless (note: not pointless as in useless, pointless as in with out points in the WHL standings). They did get the win with a startling shut out in Saskatoon, but nothing would taste sweeter than kicking SC’s ass in their final meeting.

I hope to see Dawson Guhle netminding tonight. I think he did an awesome job (who doesn’t? He had a shut out against the big, bad Blades). I also hope that Curtis Hunt doesn’t juggle around the lines too much either. They worked on Saturday, but having said that, the Broncos play a more technical game. The Blades play fast and hard, which is why the Pats were able to out-skill them to a win by stopping their speed and matching their brute force, oh, and by playing with their heads. That would be a good thing to do tonight as well. A very good thing.

What else would I like to see? Well, for one, I REALLY want Jordan Eberle to hit the big 50. He missed a bunch of games for his heroics at the World Juniors, so would undoubtedly probably be somewhere in the 70s by now. I guess 50 is a big number to hit, but he’s only 5 goals off. He’s also only  points off of 100 points this season. Not to mention that he is in the lead for scoring in the dub. Not sure about in the CHL, but I’m sure he’s WAY up there too.

At the shut out, Weal also was shut out, of points that is. I hope he has an assist or two. It’d be nice to see the older guys really dominate the score sheet tonight, but sprinkle in a few young guys like Weal just to keep things fresh, but let the old guys go out with a bang, even if the bang is in regular season (although the Pats could still potentially make playoffs. I remind you that stranger things have happened, so there is still hope).

Anyway, that’s all for now. As per usual, Rod Pederson will be calling the game that starts at 7:30 (pregame 7:05) on 620 CKRM. Go Pats!