NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Regina Pats goaltender Marek Schlenker stops Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck on a rush in the first period of a 4-2, Game 2 win for Regina on Saturday at Co-op Place to tie up the first-round series 1-1.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Marek Schlenker made the most of his second WHL start on home ice.
The Regina Pats goaltender started Sept. 20 at Co-op Place, the Medicine Hat Tigers season opener, making 36 saves in a 5-2 loss to the defending WHL Champions.
Schlenker, who grew up in Medicine Hat until moving away at the age of 12, got another chance at the Tigers on Saturday in Game 2 of the first-round series between Regina and Medicine Hat.
The 20-year-old net minder made 21 saves in a 4-2 Game 2 win to even up the series at 1-1 with friends and family in attendance.
“Our team played outstanding today, our game really fits a playoff style,” Schlenker said. “Had to be a record amount of block shots from our team today, they were letting me see the puck, and then when they weren’t, they’re blocking it. So they made my job really easy.
He remembers watching games at The Arena growing up, with the 2014 Eastern Conference final against the Edmonton Oil Kings a fond memory. Getting the chance to win at home will be a new favourite.
“It’s pretty special, my first time playing in this rink was the home opener at the start of the season and we didn’t get the win,” Schlenker said. “But getting the win in my old hometown feels really good.”
Schlenker didn’t get the Game 1 start, Taylor Tabashniuk made 19 saves in the Pats’ 6-2 Game 1 loss. The Medicine Hat product liked how he responded when he had his chance.
“Tabby deserved to play (Friday), he had a good end of the season,” Schlenker said. “Not the first time I’ve had adversity and I told my coach, I’ll be ready to go if I got the chance.”
Regina head coach Brad Herauf was hoping Schlenker would prove him wrong for not starting the series opener.
“He didn’t blink an eye, I told him to go shove it in my (face) today and that’s exactly what he did,” Herauf said. “That’s what we expected of our team MVP and he did a hell of a job.”
He made a diving save in the second period of Game 2, picking himself up after being knocked over and denying a wide-open Jonas Woo to keep Regina ahead 2-1.
Despite later being told by an official the goal would not have counted, Schlenker says he always plays with the mindset of not stopping until the whistle blows.
“You never know if it’s your own guy or if you got pushed in, so you can’t really sell out on the play,” Schlenker said. “I saw Woo with an open net and thought, ‘oh god,’ so I just laid out and then I asked the ref after and he said it wouldn’t have counted, which felt nice. But uou never know if a guy gets pushed in by your own team and it counts anyways. So I always try to not just lay down in that situation.”
Schlenker was 18-18-7 in the regular season with a 3.83 goals against average and a .884 save percentage with a shutout. He played for the Portland Winterhawks last season, released at the start of this year before the Pats picked him up as depth early in the year before he earned his spot.
He played for the South Alberta Hockey Academy in the 2023-24 season.
Schlenker started Game 3 Tuesday night in Regina.
