Jagger Firkus had a hat trick -- including two of Moose Jaw’s three goals on the power play -- as the Warriors went on to a 4-1 victory in Western Hockey League action in Lethbridge.
The game was the first for the Warriors on the road in Alberta in over a year and a half dating back to the end of the 2019-20 season.
The contest had an interesting connection before the puck even dropped -- goaltender Carl Tetachuk had played the previous three seasons with the Hurricanes and hails from Lethbridge, while opposing netminder Bryan Thomson is a Moose Jaw product.
The Warriors were able to beat Thomson first, when Jagger Firkus picked up a fanned clearing pass by a Lethbridge defenceman and ripped a shot high glove side with 6:55 remaining in the first. The goal extended Firkus’ point-scoring streak to eight games.
Firkus added his second of the game with just over five minutes gone in the second period, as he jumped on a rebound at the side of the net off a Brayden Yager power play point shot and banked a shot in off Thomson.
Lethbridge snapped a 170-plus minute scoreless streak against the Warriors’ league-wost penalty kill with 8:25 remaining in the second period, with Noah Boyko scoring on the rebound off a point shot.
Firkus then capped off his hat trick with 13:11 remaining in the game, scoring the second power play goal for the Warriors on a perfect backdoor feed from Denton Mateychuk and tapping the shot home.
The Warriors’ power play struck for the third time with 6:49 to play as Eric Alarie jumped on a rebound off a wrap-around attempt and lifted a shot over Thomson.
All told, the Warriors would finish the game 3-for-7 on the power play and allow a single marker on five Lethbridge chances. Heading into the night, the Warriors had scored only twice on the man advantage on the road.
Ryder Korczak added a pair of assists and moved into 11th in WHL scoring with five goals and 16 points in 12 games.
Tetachuk picked up the win in front of his hometown fans, turning aside 26 shots, while Thomson had 23 saves for Lethbridge
Moose Jaw improved to 5-7-0-0 with the win and moved all the way from second last in the Eastern Conference to a tie for third in the East Division. Lethbridge fell to 5-6-0-0.
The Warriors are back in action Saturday night when they travel to Medicine Hat to face the Tigers. Next home action is Nov. 13 when they host the Edmonton Oil Kings at Mosaic Place.
