The Moose Jaw Warriors might not have had the best start against the Wheat Kings on Saturday night in Brandon, but once they found their game, it was just enough to get things done..
The Warriors trailed 1-0 after the first period but scored four straight goals in the second and would go on to a 4-3 victory in Western Hockey League action.
Moose Jaw improved to 26-14-0-2 with the win and moved within a point of Saskatoon for third place in the Eastern Conference pending the result of their game against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
The Warriors had a few solid chances to score the opening goal in the first 10 minutes of the game, but it would be Brandon who made the initial breakthrough.
Dawson Pasternak scored his first goal since joining the Wheat Kings in a deadline-day trade, and it was good ole fashioned stick-to-it-iveness that paid off. A Nate Danielson shot on goal rebounded in front and Pasternak would have a couple of whacks at it before picking the puck out of traffic and putting a shot home.
Moose Jaw had a ton of chances as the period progressed, but Carson Bjarnason -- the top-ranked goaltender in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings -- would find a way to keep the puck out of the Brandon net.
The Warriors tied the game just over five minutes into the second. Atley Calvert started the play by carrying down the right wing into the Brandon zone, his pass to Jagger Firkus in the slot was tipped to Ryder Korczak, and he’d rip a shot top shelf blocker side to make it a 1-1 game.
Around the seven minute mark, the Warriors were caught on a long shift in their own zone and were stuck on the ice after an icing call, but would still find a way to come through. Ben Riche forced a turnover at the blueline and went in on a two-on-one before firing a shot home and giving the Warriors a 2-1 lead.
Eric Alarie then continued his recent goal-scoring streak 59 seconds later, thanks to Logan Dowhaniuk getting a puck to Calvert in front of the net, with the rebound off his shot being poked in along the goal line by Alarie.
Moose Jaw made it a three goal lead on their next power play opportunity, and Brayden Yager would be the beneficiary. The Warriors -- running at a 49 per cent rate on the man advantage in January -- would see Firkus and Denon Mateychuk work the puck out to Yager on the right wing, and he’d snap a 10-game goalless streak with his 19th of the season.
A gesture pulling a monkey off his back during his goal celebration said all one needed to know about how much the goal meant to the fifth-ranked NHL Draft prospect.
Warriors forward Martin Rysavy was hit with a strange boarding major penalty late in the period and while the Warriors would lead 4-1 through two, Brandon made it a two-goal game early in the third.
Nolan Flamand would get the job done 2:09 into the frame, but the Warriors would kill off the rest of the major.
The Warriors looked to put the game away with a late-game penalty, but it would be the Wheaties who pulled one goal closer. Zakar Polshakov made it a 4-3 Warrior lead with 2:42 to play in the game.
Brandon had a couple of scoring chances with the goaltender pulled as the game wound down, but Connor Ungar would stand strong and the Warriors would have their win.
Ungar finished with 39 saves on the night, while Bjarnason had 29 stops.
The Warriors are back in action in Tuesday night when they host the Saskatoon Blades. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
