Heads held high as Pats wrap up historic season

It was almost a dream season for the Regina Pats, whose bid to win the Western Hockey League title for the first time in 37 years came up short with a Game 6 loss to Seattle on Sunday night.

And the dream isn't over there's alwaysthe 2018 Memorial Cup, which Regina will be hosting.

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But the 2017 squadwas arguably one of the most skilled Pats teams ever assembled and they captured the city like never before, selling out the Brandt Centre a record 26 times.

Built around talented centre Sam Steel, a first round pick of the Anaheim Ducks, the Pats had breakout seasons from those around him including Adam Brooks, Austin Wagner, Connor Hobbs and goalie Tyler Brown, to name a few.

The team spent most of the season on top of the Canadian rankings.

They set a franchise record with 52 victories in their regular season and that momentum carried over into the playoffs as they blew past Calgary, before eliminating Swift Current and Lethbridge.

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They got into trouble in both series, but the Pats seemed to flip a switch and win when they had to.

That is, until they faced the western champion Seattle Thunderbirds in the final.

The teams were an equal match in skill, pushing multiple games into overtime. Desire might have been the difference for Seattle, which played in the final last year, but lost in five games to Brandon.

They knew the difference between winning and losing a championship, but it was new ground for this Pats team.

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The Thunderbirds won two of three back home in Seattle to take a 3-2 series lead.

They overcame a 3-1 deficit in Game 6, scoring late in the third to tie and emerge the winner in overtime.

The loss was noticeably emotional for the Pats.

As a few of their leaders like Adam Brooks graduate from the junior level and move on to the next, the question will linger in the off-season: who will be back next year when the Regina Pats host the Memorial Cup?

No matter who is on the team or how the Regina team fares, the 2018 Memorial Cup will feature the Pats along with champions of the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.