'All of a sudden it was over': Regina Pats' Memorial Cup run brings back memories of heartbreaking 2001 defeat

The Regina Pats' hometown run to the Memorial Cup semifinal is bringing back memories, both good and bad, forsome of the team's alumni.

Regina last hosted theCanadian Hockey Leaguetournament in 2001. That year the team was eliminated in painful fashion in the semifinal. Up by a goal on visiting Val-d'Or with less than a minute left, the Pats lost in overtime.

"It was heartbreaking," said Regina-born Ryan Thomas, whoplayedfor the Pats as a 19-year-old in 2001.

"We wanted to win so bad for the city and for ourselves and for the organization. It just didn't happen that year."

This year, the Pats are headed to Friday's semifinal game against the Ontario Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs after a 6-5 win over the Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday.

The Pats' win means the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Acadie-Bathurst Titan advanced directly to Sunday's championship game.

Thomas still has VHS tapes of the 2001tournament. He said it took him a long time to be able to go back and watch them.

Watching this year's tournament is easy by comparison.

"It's nice to be a part of it as a fan now," he said.

Thomas said several players from the '01 squad are back in Regina for this year's tournament.

"It was such a special group of guys. A brotherhood. Most of the guys still keep in touch with each other," he said.

Garth Murray, also originally from Regina, played for the '01 Pats before goingon to play in the NHLfor New York, Montreal, Florida and Phoenix. He said it was good to reconnect with old teammates he hadn't seen ex-Pat BarretJackman since playing against him on the NHL ice in St. Louis and take the tournament in from the other side of the glass.

"It's an exciting time to be in Regina and I'm very glad I came back for it," he said.

Murray said his team's semifinal loss seemed to come out of nowhere.

"Ijust remember, kind of, shock," Murraysaid. "All of a sudden it was over. It was shock and disappointment."

Murray said the Memorial Cup is "thehardest trophy to win in junior sports."

Looking back at his team's run, he said players took solace after the loss from knowing they'd left it all on the ice. The adversity they faced led to lifelong bonds with many of his teammates.

"It was a very interesting time, and you form a camaraderie with the guys, and you're growing up as a person and you're fighting towards a huge goal. It's definitely memories I look back on fondly."