By Tim Switzer /

Linden Rowat has seen his share of adversity during the Western Hockey League season.

If it wasn’t trying to work within a three-goaltender system with the Regina Pats early in the season, it was a three-week slump to close 2008 and open 2009.

Yet through it all, the 19-year-old Cochrane, Alta., product has put up numbers comparable to those of last year that resulted in him being named the Eastern Conference goaltender of the year.

“He has played well and sometimes I feel bad that we haven’t been able to put some pucks in the other net to help him along,” said Pats head coach Dale Derkatch. “He has played well in some games that we’ve lost by a goal or two.”

Through 31 games, Rowat had a 2.86 goals-against average (compared to 2.68 in 2007-08) and a .906 save percentage, the same mark as last season.

Only a few months ago, it wasn’t clear if Rowat would be the Pats’ No. 1 goaltender or even in the team’s fold at all. Regina began the season with a three-goalie rotation which included Rowat, Jeff Bosch and rookie Damien Ketlo.

Each saw time in net while the team looked for a solution — namely fair compensation in a trade. The smart money, initially, could have been on Rowat to be dealt, considering he will be an overage player in 2009-10 and had a solid training camp with the L.A. Kings, who selected him in the fifth round (124th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Then Rowat proceeded to go 7-0-1-1 in his first nine games after returning from the Kings’ camp to solidify his place in the Pats’ plans.

In the end, Bosch was traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors Nov. 10 for forward Neal Prokop.

“I wouldn’t want to leave everything I have here behind and start over somewhere new,” said Rowat. “I could have been the one in Moose Jaw and I wouldn’t have been as happy. I was drafted by the Pats and I want to spend my entire WHL career here.”

Since he was anointed the outright No. 1, things have not gone quite as smoothly for Rowat or his team.

Though Rowat had a solid few weeks prior to the holiday break, the Pats were not able to turn the outings into wins. Three times in December, Rowat gave up one or two goals in a game and still came away with a loss.

Through the first three weeks of January, Rowat had a 3.37 GAA although he did become the Pats all-time leader in shutouts (with 10) with a 31-save performance against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Jan. 11.

He also stopped 63 of the 68 shots he faced in back-to-back wins over the Warriors on Jan. 16 and 17 — games that Pats players and coaches hoped would send them in the right direction as they battle for playoff position.

And, as the Pats go forward, Derkatch expects Rowat to be a big part of any success that comes Regina’s way.

“I look at this point in time to our veteran players,” said Derkatch. “They’re the ones who generally get the ice time and leadership starts off the ice. They’re going to have to lead the younger players. Linden is one of those guys.”