Like a pesky mosquito or a yappy dog, the Regina Pats kept nipping at the Kamloops Blazers and, in the end, the visitors took a real bite out of the home boys.

The Pats, outshot 41-13, got a terrific night from goaltender Teagan Sacher and two goals from left-winger Lane Scheidl and beat the Blazers 2-1 in overtime at Interior Savings Centre.

Scheidl won it at 2:07 of OT, with a little help from the hockey gods.

Scheidl corralled a loose puck in the neutral zone, after the Blazers coughed it up. Kamloops defenceman Tyler Hansen and centre Colin Smith, both of whom appeared to have the angle on Scheidl, collided just outside the Blazers blue-line, allowing Scheidl a clear lane down the left wing.

Scheidl made no mistake as he buried his 15th goal of the season behind goaltender Taran Kozun.

The Pats get full marks for hanging in there in this one. They spent Monday travelling from Victoria, where they played Sunday, to Prince George, where they played Tuesday night. They left for Kamloops right after that game, arriving about 5:30 a.m.

Oh, the Pats also have six regulars out with injuries, including their top three centres. Defenceman Colton Jobke (hand) and centres Chandler Stephenson (foot) and Pat D’Amico (foot) are nursing serious skate cuts.

And, for the most part, the Blazers came at them in waves. Sacher, an 18-year-old freshman from Winnipeg who normally backs up veteran Matt Hewitt, must have felt like the sand on Long Beach.

The Blazers outshot the visitors 13-3, 16-6 and 16-3 by period, but the Sacher Dam just wouldn’t break. He was beaten just the once, when Tim Bozon got one past him — it may have changed direction off the stick of Regina defenceman Kyle Burroughs — from the right side at 6:25 of the third period.

Scheidl got that one back five minutes later, whipping a power-play shot past Kozun from the hashmarks.

The Blazers had a lot of shots — they passed up a bunch of shooting opportunities, too — and a whole lot of scoring chances. There was a 3-on-1 break — Brendan Ranford, Cole Ully and Charles Inglis — that failed to get a shot on goal. Winger Chase Souto, on a partial break, was wide on a backhand attempt. Ully sent a power-play shot off the crossbar and out of play.

Late in the second period, while on another power play, Smith had a chance from in tight and Bozon banged away at the first and second rebounds. Sacher was down but wouldn’t be beaten.

At 14:00 of the third, Bozon cut in on Sacher with the puck and missed the net. Seconds later the kid made a great toe save on Smith.

In the end, Scheidl scored and the Pats (11-12-3) celebrated as though they had won a playoff series.
The Blazers (19-5-2) were left to wonder what had happened.

* * *

Former Blazers D Austin Madaisky underwent wrist surgery Wednesday in Columbus to repair a torn scapholunate. The ligament, which is located in the wrist, was, according to Madaisky, “fully torn.”
He said the doctor told him “surgery went well.”

The injury bothered him during training camp with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons and, after eight games with the ECHL’s Evansville IceMen, he decided he couldn’t continue playing.

Madaisky, 20, is under contract to the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.

He said he will spend 10 weeks in a cast and then begin rehabilitation.

Madaisky said he plans on playing again this season as he hopes to be back around the time playoffs begin.

JUST NOTES: The attendance was 4,442. . . . The Blazers were 1-for-5 on the PP; the Pats were 1-for-4. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Sacher: Mates owe him breakfast, lunch and dinner; 2. Scheidl: Was terrific, even before the winner; 3. Ully: Had some jump, had some chances. . . . Kamloops moved from No. 4 to No. 2 in the CHL’s weekly rankings, behind the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads. . . . The Blazers are at home again Friday against the Saskatoon Blades and Saturday against the Vancouver Giants.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca

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