You won’t see many junior hockey teams have as much fun with an April Fools Day game than what went down on Friday night.
The Moose Jaw Warriors took the ice against the Saskatoon Bananas -- yes, literally -- and initially looked like they were going to have to skate around somewhere between 15 referees and 30 linesmen before things finally degenerated into a regular Western Hockey League game at SaskTel Centre.
The situation was, of course, a massive and fun marketing play by the Bananas, who took a funny online suggestion to the absolute end of its life.
When it came to the actual game, there was a lot on the line.
And in the end the Bananas would pull to within a single point of the Warriors in the Eastern Conference standings with a 4-1 win in Saskatoon.
Moose Jaw fell to 35-23-3-2 with the loss and have now dropped two in a row, the Bananas are now 35-24-3-2 and snapped a two-game skid of their own.
The first period was scoreless, with only a handful of opportunities for either team. Saskatoon would end up with the 8-5 advantage on the shot clock.
Tristen Robbins got things going on the scoreclock with the Bananas’ first goal in 22 power play opportunities with 8:26 gone in the second. Robins had all day to set up in the left face-off circle and eventually beat Warriors starter Carl Tetachuk with a shot glove side.
Eric Alarie got that one back with 7:51 remaining in the frame, forcing a turnover in the neutral zone and jumping on the ensuing breakaway before beating Saskatoon’s Nolan Maier blocker side.
The Warriors took back to back penalties late in the second period, giving Saskatoon a five-one-three advantage for a full 1:35 with 2:42 remaining.
Moose Jaw would kill both penalties off, and Tetachuk was once again their best penalty-killer. The Warriors standout made a handful of big saves on the 5-on-3, including a glorious chance at the side of the net for Josh Pillar into the open net that Tetachuk would get across for a pad save.
Tetachuk struck again with four minutes gone in the third, when his clearing attempt was intercepted along the boards, leading Egor Sideroff to get off a great shot in front. Tetachuk would scramble to make the pad save, though, keeping things tied 1-1.
Sideroff got another chance with 11:56 gone in the third, going in on a 3-on-0 on a brutal Warriors line change and putting a shot home.
The Banana’s then extended their lead to 3-1 when Sideroff got a shot off from the top of the left face-off circle that deflected off a stick in front and into the Warriors’ goal.
That goal was in the midst of being announced over the public address system when Kyle Crnkovic made it 4-1 only 22 seconds later to close out scoring.
Tetachuk finished the game with 35 saves in taking the loss, Nolan Maier had 18 saves in the win.
The Warriors are right back in action on Saturday night when they host the Winnipeg Ice. Game time is 7 p.m. at Mosaic Place.
