Things started off well for the Pats, who were coming off a 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs in the opener on Friday, as Cameron Hebig tallied 13 seconds after puck drop, but the champions of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League quickly responded. Acadie-Bathurst scored five unanswered goals, including three in the first 5:52 of the opening frame.
Colorado Avalanche prospect Nick Henry played a key role in Regina's comeback attempt as he scored a power-play tally at 7:39 of the third period that cut the deficit to 7-4. Josh Mahura and Matt Bradley scored soon after to get the Pats within one, setting up a frantic final 1:57.
Henry also had an assist and finished the evening with a game-high six shots.
The Titan's Noah Dobson scored an empty-net marker with less than a second left in regulation.
Regina now faces its Western Hockey League rival, the Swift Current Broncos, to wrap up round-robin play on Wednesday. Avs prospect Josh Anderson and the Broncos defeated the Pats in a seven-game series in the first round of the WHL Playoffs on the way to their league championship.
"I [don't] mind playing those guys one more time. I think we kind of owe them one after they beat us," Henry said to ColoradoAvalanche.com prior to the tournament on facing the Broncos again. "It [was] frustrating to lose, but we learn from it, what we need to do better to be successful in this tournament, and we have been working on it for a month and a half."
Swift Current faces Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton on Monday in its second contest of the Memorial Cup. The Broncos lost 4-3 in overtime to Acadie-Bathurst on Saturday afternoon.
