Regina outscored the Warriors 3-2 in the second period and carried the play the vast majority of the third period on their way to a 4-3 victory in Western Hockey League action.
The Warriors fell to 4-7-0-0 with the loss while the Pats won their third-straight, improved to 5-7-0-0 and leapfrogged Moose Jaw in the standings.
Martin Rysavy got things started for the Warriors, and looked all the part of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect in the process as he took a feed from Denton Mateychuk at his blueline, broke down the wing and outduelled a Pats defender before slipping a shot home past Regina’s Matthew Keiper.
The opening goal came with 8:06 gone and after the Pats had controlled much of the start of the game.
The Pats got that one back seconds after the Warriors failed to score on their second power play of the game. Adam McNutt picked up the puck as he left the penalty box and hit a trailing Braxton Whitehead, who ripped a shot from the slot over Carl Tetachuk’s shoulder with 1:42 remaining in the first.
Regina took the lead on the power play just over five minutes into the second period on a goal from Zack Smith, but Jagger Firkus scored on the first rush after the goal seconds later to tie the game 2-2.
The game didn’t stay tied for long, as Zack Stringer banked a puck off a Warriors defender in front. The goal was the second power play marker for Regina and came with 9:54 to play in the period.
The Warriors learned a lesson in just putting the puck on net four minutes later when Luke Bateman’s harmless shot from the point eluded Tetachuk and put Regina ahead by two.
A little over a minute after that marker, the Warriors pulled back within one when Mateychuk’s shot from the point low along the ice snuck into the far corner.
The third period was essentially all Regina, as the Pats hemmed the Warriors in for long stretches and prevented Moose Jaw from getting anything going in the offensive zone.
Moose Jaw had a couple of chances to score the tying goal in the dying seconds, including a Mateychuk howitzer with a couple of second remaining that went off the crossbar, but Regina would hold on.
Tetachuk finished the game with 45 saves, while Kieper had 33 stops for Regina.
The Warriors are back in action Friday when they travel to Medicine Hat on their first Alberta road trip in more than a year and a half.
