NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN — Regina Pats goaltender Donovan Buskey makes a save on Medicine Hat Tigers forward Brett Kemp during a Western Hockey League game on Saturday at the Canalta Centre.
The Medicine Hat Tigers slowly chipped their way through Donovan Buskey on Saturday night at the Canalta Centre.
One day after allowing eight goals in a painful loss to the Tabbies on home ice, the Regina Pats goaltender returned to the crease in the Gas City and stopped the first 29 shots he faced before finally giving way to the pressure in a 2-0 setback.
Medicine Hat swept the season series with the victory — as well the weekend home-and-home set. They now sit two points back of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (36-16-2-5) for second in the Western Hockey League’s Central Division with a 37-19-2-1 record.
Eyeing that season series sweep, Medicine Hat brought a fierce amount of pressure to the ice in the first period, but they were unable to break through Buskey’s defences despite 15 shots in the opening frame.
The Tabbies were given their best chance to strike first when Regina’s Riley Krane and Robbie Holmes were nabbed for back-to-back minors — giving Medicine Hat a two-man advantage for just over a minute — but Buskey kept them at bay with a slew of highlight reel stops.
Medicine Hat carried the momentum into the middle frame, but were dealt a blow when centre Elijah Brown went down with an apparent lower-body injury. Brown returned to the bench for the third, but did not play.
Buskey continued to provide a challenge for Medicine Hat, but Lukas Svejkovsky prevented him from carrying the stalemate into the third by ripping his team’s 30th shot home off the rush. The goal gave Medicine Hat a narrow 1-0 edge after outshooting Regina 33-9 through 40 minutes and holding them without a shot in the middle frame.
The Tigers kept coming early in the third and James Hamblin found Corson Hopwo streaking to the net for some breathing room three minutes into the period.
The Pats earned their best chance to hit the scoresheet a few minutes later when Krane sprung himself on a breakaway, but Hat goaltender Mads Søgaard stepped up to make the save. The 6-foot-7 Dane went on to stop 18 shots for the shutout.
Buskey turned away 40 in the loss, dropping Regina to 20-33-4-2.
The Tigers return to the Canalta Centre Tuesday to host the Swift Current Broncos at 7 p.m.
NOTES: Regina Pats head coach Dave Struch was given a game misconduct partway through the third period following an exchange with officials.
