By Mitch Bach

Tigers in tough territory; battling CHL’s best Regina Pats

Jan 20, 2017 | 12:53 PM

REGINA, SK — Anyone who’s anyone in the CHL knows the lethal power possessed in the Regina Pats locker room. Through 41 games played, the team has only five losses in regulation, and home to the WHL’s highest scoring team.

They’ve tallied 222 goals, and much of that comes thanks to forwards Sam Steele and Adam Brooks who sit first and second respectively in league scoring.

This offensive overload in the Saskatchewan capital is what the Medicine Hat Tigers are up against tonight at the Brandt Centre. 

But if there is a team who could rival the Pats in terms of scoring prowess, it is most certainly the black-and-orange. Medicine Hat is second in league scoring, tallying 214 to date. Mason Shaw has established himself as one of the league’s most potent NHL draft selections for 2017, and Chad Butcher is carving up the Eastern Conference, nabbing 11 points since the turn of the New Year.

Over the past week, both teams have seemed to tail off slightly. Medicine Hat began a four-game road swing with a loss in Saskatoon Wednesday night. Newly acquired goaltender Mike Bullion took his first loss with his new team. That was also his second consecutive start, giving regular starter Nick Schneider nine well-deserved days of rest. 

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For the Pats, they lost back-to-back games for the first time this season on January 7th and 13th. Both of those came on home ice; the only two regulation losses at home.

Schneider will start his 38th game of the season tonight, hoping to guide his team to it’s 31st win. The 19-year-old goalie from Leduc, AB started both prior matches against the Pats. That includes their most recent meeting on Jan. 3; Schneider was pulled for the first time all season after allowing three goals on five shots.

His performance will be that much more important tonight, as defensemen David Quenneville and Ty Schultz continue to heal up a pair of broken legs.

Puck drop is set for 7:00pm local time. Bob Ridley takes the mic on CHAT 94.5, beginning with the pregame show at 6:45pm, followed by full play-by-play.