REGINA — After winning a 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal, Connor Bedard returned to the Regina Pats in a big way.
The Pats captain scored four goals and recorded six points in a 6-2 victory Sunday over the visiting Calgary Hitmen. One goal of Bedard’s goals came on the power play, while he scored two shorthanded. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak. Regina led 1-0 and 3-1 at the intermissions. The Pats were three-for-five on the power play while they killed off all seven of Calgary’s man advantage opportunities.
The squad has gone 2-4-0-0 since the Western Hockey League’s Christmas break. The Pats fell at home to the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-0, on Dec. 28. Tanner Brown delivered the game winner for the Regina squad in 4-3 overtime victory on the road against Prince Albert on Dec. 30. The Pats fell 5-2 in a rematch with the Raiders on Jan. 1 at home. The Pats lost 6-2 on the road in Brandon on Jan. 4. On Jan. 6, they were shut out by Seattle at home, 6-0.
In the Maritimes, Bedard helped Team Canada win its second straight gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in a 3-2 overtime win against Czechia. The International Ice Hockey Federation directorate named Bedard the tournament’s Top Forward. In media voting, he was selected as the Tournament MVP and a Tournament All-Star. Bedard paced the tournament with 23 points. He set several Team Canada World Junior records. These included points (23) and assists (14) in a single tournament, career goals (17) and career points (36).
Fellow Pat Stanislav Svozil captained Czechia to the silver medals. It was the first medal for that nation since 2005. Svozil had a strong tournament. The defenceman recorded eight points in seven games. He has yet to return to the Pats’ lineup.
Pats head coach and general manager John Paddock made some tweaks to the roster last week ahead of the Jan. 10 trade deadline. On Jan. 3, the Pats announced they had traded 2004-born goalie Matthew Kieper to the Kamloops Blazers for a 2023 fourth-round pick (via Edmonton) and a 2025 sixth-round pick. The Winnipeg product played games in four seasons with the Pats. This season he had a 4-5-0-1 record with a 4.39 goals against average and a .865 save percentage.
The move leaves Drew Sim and Kelton Pyne guarding the crease for Regina. Sim has a 15-10-2 record with a 3.24 goals against average and a .898 save percentage. He made 42 saves in the win over Calgary. Pyne has spent much of the season with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Melville Millionaires. In three games with the Pats, Pyne’s record is 0-2-0. He has a 5.97 GAA and a .841 save percentage.
Looking to strengthen their backend, the Pats swapped 2003-born forward Easton Armstrong to the Winnipeg Ice for 2005-born blue liner Omen Harmacy. The 5-foot-9, 181-pound Harmacy had three assists in 30 games for the Ice this season. He was plus seven in plus/minus rating. In 39 games this season, Armstrong recorded 13 goals and 22 points in 39 games. He had suited up in three seasons for Regina.
The Pats are at home this weekend. They host the Saskatoon Blades on Friday. On Saturday, the Portland Winterhawks are in town.
