Ben Duperreault just needed one game to make a difference and get a tie on the league leading scoring board. Duperreault recorded a hat trick and added an assist to lead the Moose Jaw Generals over the Regina Pat Canadians.
With more balanced roster in the lineup for the Generals, they were able to play more of their style, downing the Pat C’s 5-2 in Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League action on Monday evening in Regina.
“It was a good response,” said Ray Wareham, head coach of the Generals. “Throw a few veteran guys in the lineup and it makes a big difference. We wanted to respond with a good effort and I thought all the boys really stepped their game up.”
After a shaky start to the exhibition season on Sunday evening at home, the Generals outplayed Regina and held the team to just nine shots through the first and second periods. Rylan Palchewich stopped 20 of his 22 shots for the victory while Grant Naherniak was backup after returning to Moose Jaw from Red Deer Rebels camp this week.
“He just made the first save and the guys were clearing pucks. We didn’t give up too many second or third chances,” he said of Palchewich. “He looked good. We followed him last year in bantam and knew we were getting our two guys back this year, but we wanted to give him a chance to get some games in. It is unfortunate that he is outside our radius as we can’t AP him, but we will follow him throughout the year and see how his development progresses.”
Duperreault, Regan Nagy and Rhett Gardner opened the scoring for the Generals in the first period. Duperreault from Braydon Delorme and Donovan Nuels kept the Generals ahead midway through the second period, but Regina scored on a power play chance to cut the lead. Dawson Davidson from Gardner and Nagy scored late in the middle frame to restore the two-goal lead.
“I thought that whole line of Nagy and Gardner looked good tonight. Benny obviously finished on those three goals and you could see as the game went on the chemistry started to get a little better,” said Wareham. “Once they spent some time together and more practices…they could be one heck of a line to watch this year.”
The Pat C’s would score early in the third period, but Duperreault would complete the trick from Nagy and Tanner Davies. Gardner would add his third point of the game from a helper from Duperreault.
For more on this story, read an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
