The Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors ran into a Saskatoon Blazers team with revenge on their minds on Tuesday night, and it didn’t go very well for the visitors.
Almost two weeks to the day after handing the Sask Male AAA Hockey League-leading crew only their fourth loss of the season thanks to a 6-5 overtime victory, the Warriors had little answer for the Blazers on their way to dropping a 9-5 decision in Saskatoon.
The Blazers wasted little time getting things going, as Tyson Yaremko, Lee Shurgot and Cole Reschny scored three goals just over three minutes apart midway through the first period, giving Saskatoon a 3-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes.
Shurgot made it 4-0 3:51 into the second before Connor Miller got one back for Moose Jaw with 2:02 remaining in the frame.
That set the stage for a goal-filled third period, as the two teams went off for seven markers.
Luke Dahlen and Trae Wilke made it a 6-1 game, and after Owen Prohar picked up the Warriors’ second goal with a little under 13 minutes remaining, Shurgot finished off his hat trick with 8:38 to play.
Wilke and Yaremko each scored their second of the game just over a minute apart late in the third to close out Saskatoon’s offensive outburst.
Bryce Boughen scored Moose Jaw’s second goal with two seconds to play and also picked up an assist.
Ryan Hicks went the distance in net and turned aside 21 shots for Moose Jaw, Alex Garrett had 23 stops for Saskatoon.
The loss saw the Warriors fall to 9-12-0-3 and into the eighth and final playoff spot, a point back of Warman and two points up on Yorkton.
The Winmar Warriors close out their pre-season schedule with a pair of games in Estevan against the Bears on Saturday and Sunday. Next home action is Wednesday, Jan. 4 against the Warman Wildcats in a game rescheduled due to the Nov. 6 winter storm.
