'It was a tough go': Regina Pats devastated after Memorial Cup loss

The crowd chanted "go Pats go" immediately after the national anthem was sung at the Brandt Centre in Regina, signalling the start of a game 100 years in the making.

The 100thMemorial Cup final between the WHL's Regina Pats and the QMJHL'sAcadie-Bathurst Titan was centre stage Sunday night in the Queen City.

In a one-sided affair, the Pats lost 3-0 and were out-shot 44-28.

• Acadie-Bathurst Titan win Memorial Cup

"They were on us all the time," said Pats head coach John Paddock after the game.

"They were faster. They had the puck. They didn't let us have it, and when we did have it we couldn't seem to make hard enough plays to get out."

"It was a tough go," he said.

The sold out crowd of nearly 6,500 fans got involved in the game as much as possible, chanting "go Pats go" on numerous occasions.

• 'They're my team': Fans revved up to see Pats play in Memorial Cup final

But, the Pats weren't able to keep up with the fast-paced Titan and were outplayed for majority of the game.

Despite being on the losing end, Pats goaltender, Max Paddock, had a highlight-reel night.

The Titan peppered Paddock with shots throughout the game, but he stood tall and made numerous jaw-dropping stops, including a massive glove save about halfway through the second period.

His repeatedsaves motivated thethe crowd as they desperately tried to inspire an offensive spark from the Pats.

It appeared to have worked, momentarily.

The Pats saw a surge of energy near the end of the second period creating several scoring chances, with Pats captain Sam Steel coming painfully close to equalizing the game with a wrist shot on the Titan goaltender's blocker side.

Regina came out swinging in the third period as well, creating several scoring opportunities that were met with flashy saves from the Titan goaltender, Evan Fitzpatrick.

Despite their efforts, the Pats hopes of winning their fifthMemorial Cup ended after the Titan scored another two goals in the third period, including an empty net goal with 30 seconds left on the clock

Sam Steel named MVP

Steel, who led the tournament in points and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the tournament, said he would trade his MVP title for a Memorial Cup title in a heartbeat.

"I would trade it 10 times out of 10 for a Memorial Cup, but that's not the case," he said after the game.

"It's tough, for sure, not sure what to think right now, it's just tough."

Despite the loss, Steel says he's grateful for the opportunity and proud of his team's performance.

"It obviously feels terrible when you lose, but I'm sure looking back at it down the road, it was great to be a part of," he said.

The Pats have not won a Memorial Cup championship since 1974.

This is the Titan's first Memorial Cup championship.