The Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors went into their weekend set with the Battlefords Stars in North Battleford hoping to pick up a pair of wins and move solidly into the hunt for a spot in the Mac’s World Invitational 18U AAA tournament.
Instead, they now find themselves looking to get back to the .500 mark.
The Warriors dropped a pair of decisions to the Stars over the weekend, falling 4-2 on Saturday and losing 4-3 in the rematch Sunday.
The two tough defeats see the Warriors now holding a 3-5-0-2 record and sitting in ninth place in the 12-team Sask Male AAA Hockey League.
The Warriors got off to a good start in their opener, as Dylan Duzan scored the lone goal of the first period and Connor MIller made it 2-0 only 36 seconds into the second frame.
That was the end of the good news on the night, though, as Battlefords scored three straight goals to take a 3-2 edge out of the period and then added an empty netter with 27 seconds to play.
Ryan HIcks had 26 saves in the loss, the Warriors had 41 shots on the Stars’ Matthew Ofukany.
Treycen Wuttunee scored twice for Battlefords, Ayden Belanger and Dayne Henry had their other markers.
A day later, the Stars took a 1-0 lead out of the first period, but Ryder Knutson and Caleb Potter scored to give the Warriors a 2-1 edge midway through the second. Battlefords answered the go-ahead goal just over two minutes later and took the lead for good 2:30 after that marker.
Austin Shepherd scored his second of the game midway through the third to make it 4-2 Stars before Liam Fitzpatrick closed out scoring with 4:25 to play.
Ryan Bain made 28 stops for Moose Jaw, Ofukany had 33 saves for Battlefords.
Tyce Penrod and Ayden Belanger also scored for the Stars.
The Winmar Warriors are back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 25 when they travel to Swift Current. Next home action is Tuesday, Nov. 1 when they host the Yorkton Secon Maulers. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
