The Regina Pats are officially on the ropes after losing to the Saskatoon Blades in Game 5 Friday night.
The evening ended with a score of 4-2 for the home team Blades, and a commanding 3-2 series lead. After losing the first two games at home, the Blades have won three straight against their rivals.
The game was out of hand quickly after the Blades scored two unanswered goals in the first six minutes of the first period.
The first was scored by Blades forward Vaughn Watterodt, marking his second goal of the series, and less than two minutes later, Egor Sidorov fired home his fourth goal of series on the powerplay to make it 2-0 Saskatoon.
Pats superstar Connor Bedard left his mark on the game and scored the teams only two goals.
The first came halfway through the first period to cut the lead to one.
Fast forward to the second period, and after Blades forward Tanner Molendyk’s fired one past Pats goalie Drew Sim, the game was 3-1 for Saskatoon.
Early in the third period, Bedard put home his second of the game, and once again cut the lead to one.
This marks the 10th goal in this year’s playoff run, and with the addition of five assists, Bedard has totalled 15 points in just five games.
But after Sam Oremba missed a wide-open net to tie it at 3 for the Pats, Saskatoon headed the other way and Sidorov completed a three-on-one opportunity with Wong and Brandon Lisowsky sealing a 4-2 victory.
The teams now meet once again in Regina in a must-win game for the Pats.
Game 6 puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre.