Pats Add Size on the Back-End

The Pats completed another pre-season trade today, this one with the Victoria Royals to acquire 6'5" defenceman Kade Pilton.


This is the second deal swung by Chad Lang in the exhibition season to add experience to the defence.  Pilton brings some of that with a season under his belt in Victoria where he played 43 games and totaled thirteen points to go with 52 penalty minutes.

Pilton also adds a booming shot from the point, something the Pats haven't really been able to feature on their powerplay in the early going.  Expect Pilton to see some time with the man advantage for just that reason.

The big defender was a second round pick (25th Overall) in the 2009 of the (then) Chilliwack Bruins.

Headed the other way in the transaction are the WHL rights to forward Demico Hannoun and a conditional third round pick in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.

The Pats continue the pre-season against the Saskatoon Blades tomorrow night in their first game at the Brandt Centre this season.  Puck drop is seven o'clock.

For more Pats news and videos, check out ReginaPats.com

-D

Pats Trim Roster

Always a tough day when releases and reassignments are handed down during Training Camp and the Pre-Season.

Today, the Pats issued two such decrees by reassigning forward Dane Schioler and releasing overage forward Tanner Olstad.

Pats vs Wheat Kings Pre-Season Live Blog

There may be no CKRM broadcast for tonight's Pats game in Brandon, but you can still follow along with this live blog.  I'll be updating this blog in real time throughout the game.

Everything should be good to go, it refreshes itself so you won't need to.  A cautionary note, though, due to a change the blogging service made recently I only get 100 clicks per month, so for tonight.  I would advise you to log in early and do not navigate away from the page or you could lose your spot or use up another spot that someone else can use.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but that's the best I can do without dropping a bunch of money on this.  

I hope you can join me for tonight's game!

Pats Grab Pre-Season Opener Victory

First Period

The Pats found themselves back on their heels early with the Wheat Kings showing no sign of bus legs.  Brandon got out of the gate quick in the hitting department and used the physical game to hold momentum through the first fifteen minutes.  The Pats dodged a bullet when they were able to kill off a Wheat Kings two man advantage midway through the first.

With just over four minutes left in the first, Patrick D'Amico made a great move behind the net, transitioned into spin move in the faceoff circle and found Colton Jobke sneaking in from the point to tally the opening goal of the game.

The Pats weren't done scoring, a late powerplay gave Lane Scheidl the room to work himself into a scoring position and fire a wrister by Brandon goalie, Curtis Honey.  The Pats took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Second Period

The second period was uneventful in the goal scoring department as both goalies were up to any challenges tossed their way.  The key point of the frame was a tussle between Dryden Hunt and Rene Hunter.  While it wasn't much of a fight, the two went to the ice awkwardly which resulted in Hunt heading to the dressing room with an apparent injury.

Third Period

The Wheat Kings made it a game in the third when John Quenneville tallied off a nice feed from Richard Nejezchleb.  Brandon kept pushing Regina late, but an empty net goal from Patrick D'Amico stopped any chance of a comeback.

When all was said and done, the Pats were outshot 33-22, but made the most of their chances in the 3-1 win.  Goaltender Teagan Sacher was excellent in the Pats net in holding the Wheat Kings off the board until the third.  His strong play gave the Pats the chance to build their lead in the first.

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The Pats get on the road tomorrow on the back half of this home and home with the Wheat Kings.  Phil Andrews and I will be in Brandon, but unfortunately not on the air.  I may try and get a live blog set up, though I've never done one on blogger so I'm not going to make any promises just yet.

First bus trip of the new season.  The last time I was in Brandon, I realized I had left my phone in Winnipeg and had to go back.  Hopefully nothing so inconvenient this time around.

-D

Pats Acquire Defenceman Keaton Lubin from Hitmen

The Regina Pats have acquired defenceman Keaton Lubin (’94) from the Calgary Hitmen in return for a conditional sixth round pick in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.

Lubin, a third round pick (66^th overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft, suited up for the Hitmen in fifty games over the past two seasons.

The 6’0”, 192 lbs defender also dressed for the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers last season.  He had four assists in nine regular season games before putting up four points (1G,3A) in seven playoff games.

In 2010-11, he was a member of Canada Pacific and took home bronze at the World U17 Hockey Challenge.

Name:             Keaton Lubin
DOB:              02-15-1994
Hometown:     Okotoks, Alberta
Position:          D
Height:            6’0”
Weight:           192 lbs

Year	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011-12	Calgary Hitmen	14	0	1	1	16
2010-11	Calgary Hitmen	36	1	0	1	23

Pats Training Camp Recap

I have to apologize for this blog being woefully inactive.  Much of my time goes into writing the Pats releases which then bounce around the web (you know, the thing I get paid for).  As I get more into the swing of the every day and how it all fits into my schedule I hope this blog will once again the the regularly updated and happy place it was in the first place.  Thanks for your patience as I work through my current transition.

On to camp.  What a wild and crazy weekend.  Quite the way to kick off the hockey season spending all day at the rink watching some very talented young players.  From the looks of the '96-'97 groups, the future of the Regina Pats is well in hand.  The weekend started off with the announcement that the team signed one of its top prospects, defenceman Brady Reagan, to a WHL Standard Player Agreement.  It's actually a little disconcerting for me (standing a little over 6'2") to have a fifteen year old look me in the eye when he shakes my hand and nearly crushes it.  Considering he'll probably grow more, the physical dimensions of this young man already have forwards a little concerned.