Article content continued

The visitors went up 3-2 early in the second with a power-play marker from Brett Howden, who took a drop pass from Halbgewachs and fired a bad-angle shot that surprised Brown.

After a near miss by Leedahl late in the second period, the Pats really poured it on early in the third, outshooting Moose Jaw 11-1 at one point. Connor Hobbs made a power-play opportunity count 2:23 into the frame when he gathered the puck at the point and released a well-placed wrist shot into the top corner.

Hobbs also had a hand in the eventual game-winner as he threw the puck on net and watched Brooks deflect it in with 7:14 left.

Moose Jaw pressed for the tying marker on a late man advantage, but it was the Pats who put the game away. Austin Wagner did the dirty work as he went speeding into Moose Jaw’s end and knocked down a pass attempt by Sawchenko. After retrieving the puck, Wagner misfired on a wraparound but Brooks cleaned up his leftovers with 4:37 on the clock.

Steel added another power-play goal 1:50 later and Rykr Cole put the icing on the cake with 1:06 remaining.

“I thought we were pretty good right from start to finish,” said head coach/GM John Paddock, whose team outshot Moose Jaw 54-31, including 23-8 in the third period. “We took three foolish penalties … and it cost us twice but I thought our attack and our willingness to get to the net was really good, especially in the third period.

“We weren’t unhappy with how we played for the first two but they found another gear. People like Leedahl and Brooks and Steel really led the way.”

EXTRAS: With one goal and three assists, Steel regained the lead in the WHL scoring race with 54 points in 25 games. Brooks is tied for second with 53 points in 25 contests … It was Regina’s fourth sellout crowd of the campaign … Brown made 28 saves in his 11 consecutive start … The Pats’ first game after the nine-day Christmas break is Dec. 27 at the Brandt Centre against the Brandon Wheat Kings.

gharder@postmedia.com