PETERBOROUGH, ON — The Regina Pat Canadians opened the Telus Cup on Monday with a hard fought 7-3 win over the host Peterbrough Petes.
First Period – Pat Cs Break Through
The Petes pressed early and generated chances, but Regina bent without breaking. Adam Muntain was sharp from the opening puck drop, especially during early penalty kills, helping the Pat Canadians settle into the game.
Once momentum shifted, Regina struck quickly.
- Ethan Young opened the scoring at 11:48, finishing a play set up by Malaki Martin and Ryker Doka.
- Just over three minutes later, Brady Vipond doubled the lead after a slick passing sequence involving Young and Martin.
- The Pat Cs capped the period with a third goal at 17:02, as Maddox Schultz lasered one top shelf on a half break to put the Cs up 3-0. Kai Lanigan and Dane Mansuy added assists on the goal.
Regina exited the first period up 3–0, despite even shots (11–11) and significant penalty traffic.
Second Period – Game Breaker
Regina wasted little time extending the lead. Just 14 seconds into the second period, Schultz struck again, finishing a feed from Liam Pue and Nathan Gardiner to make it 4–0.
With penalties continuing to stack up on both sides, special teams became a defining storyline.
At 6:59, Regina went to the power play and Ryker Doka converted, scoring from the slot after setup passes from Young and Pue.
Peterborough briefly responded through Henri Packalen at 8:26, but Regina answered emphatically.
- Cooper Bratton restored the five‑goal cushion with a power‑play marker at 14:28.
- Just 33 seconds later, Regina added insult to injury when Malaki Martin scored short‑handed, converting off the rush with assists from Lanigan and Mahlon Wiley.
After 40 minutes, Regina held a commanding 7–1 lead, scoring four times in the middle frame while continuing to kill off waves of Petes power plays.
Third Period – Holding the Line
Peterborough showed resilience in the final period, scoring twice on the power play through Ty Gendron and Anthony Farace, but the outcome was never in doubt.
Muntain remained solid throughout and finished the night stopping 49 of 52 shots as the Pat Canadians were tested repeatedly while shorthanded.
By the Numbers
- Shots: Peterborough 52, Regina 40
- Power Plays: Regina 2‑for‑7, Peterborough 2‑for‑11
- Short‑Handed Goals: Regina 1
- PIM: Regina 26, Peterborough 18
Looking Ahead
The victory gives the Pat Canadians an ideal start to round‑robin play at the national championship. Regina will look to carry that momentum into its next game as they face the Halifax Macs on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m EST.
