Here's what I posted on X (formerly Twitter):
On This Date in Regina Pats history:
December 21, 1917
106 years ago today, the Pats played the first game in franchise history. The Pats (then known as the Patricias) faced off against the Regina Victorias. Puck drop was scheduled for 8 o'clock at the arena rink. Admission for adults was two bits (25¢) and 15¢ for children.
Final score: Pats 5, Victorias 2. The headline from the Regina Leader read:
Junior hockey was fairly new to the people of Saskatchewan. The media and fans weren't sure what to expect. “The game was a fast one," read the story from the Regina Leader. "Far more so than anyone expected and the boys surprised everyone by the speed displayed especially in the second period, when they sped up and down the ice like racehorses.” How they scored: The Victorias opened the scoring with the first two goals of the game by Frank Crapper and Leonard Marshall. Bill Broadfoot scored for the Patricias to make it a one-goal game midway through the first period, but the Victorias took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Pats substitute defenceman M.A. Wingham scored four minutes into the second period to tie the contest at 2-2. Alphonse Paquet, the Vics goalie, was clipped on the chin with a high stick and was forced to get repairs. When he returned, the Pats took advantage as Fred Harding and Frank Broadfoot scored goals in rapid succession, giving the Pats a 4-2 lead heading into the third frame. L.J. Dutkowski scored the lone goal in the third period for the Pats, giving them a 5-2 victory. Walt Broadfoot picked up the win in goal for the Pats.
Pats captain Bill Broadfoot played all sixty minutes, and according to the Regina Leader, was the best player for the Pats on the night. “Bill Broadfoot was the star man for his club and did more than anyone else to bring victory Patward.” Both goaltenders played well for their respective clubs. Walter Broadfoot "didn’t let anything bother him with the result that he played a swell game.” Alphonse Paquet played a “dandy game in goal” for the Victorias.
The Patricias lined up as follows: 15-year-old Walter Broadfoot was the Pats’ inaugural goaltender. The starting defencemen were 18-year-old Bill Broadfoot and 16-year-old Millar Hackney. The third Broadfoot brother, 17-year-old Frank lined up at centre. L.J. Dutkowski a 17-year-old lined up at left wing; Bill Molisky a 20-year-old was on the right wing. It was the early days of hockey, so the teams each played with six skaters; the sixth was a rover. 18-year-old Fred Harding filled that role. The Pats had three substitutes for the game: M.A. Wingham, Ernie Cameron, and John Molisky. The Victorias dressed Alphonse Paquet in goal. Ernest Miller and Jack Arnot were the Vics’ defencemen. Hub Davidson was at centre; Bill Baldwin at the left wing, and Frank Crapper at right wing, while Leonard Marshall dressed as the team’s rover. They only had one spare player noted; that was Ernest Foster. Captain Otton and Delahay were the two officials that took care of the game.