Every once in a while, hockey teams at every level have a game like the Moose Jaw Warriors had on Wednesday night in Lethbridge.
A night where you can’t find a break and have to scratch and claw for everything, while your opponent gets opportunistic bounces and opportunities and makes the most of them.
The Hurricanes did just that, scoring three goals on bounces that went their way and going on to a 4-1 victory in Western Hockey League action.
Moose Jaw fell to 30-16-0-3 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, a point back of Saskatoon for third and four points up on fifth-place Lethbridge.
Neither team had much sustained pressure in the first 10 minutes of the game, and when the game’s first goal was scored, it took all sorts of Lethbridge luck.
A Warriors’ pass along the end boards went off the referee and in front of the net, with Hurricanes defender Hayden Smith taking a shot that banked off a pair of players in front and into the Moose Jaw net. The goal came at the 10 minute mark of the period.
Lethbridge caught another break on their second goal with 5:20 to play in the period, this time when a puck deflected off an apparent high stick and into the Moose Jaw net. Blake Swetlikoff was credited with the marker after a video goal judge review.
It was another strange play that led to the Hurricanes taking a 3-0 edge. A Lethbridge two-on-one led to Lucas Brenton making a solid defensive play to break things up,, but a bouncing puck would go right to Anton Astashevich and he’d bat the puck into the goal at the 5:35 mark of the second period.
The Warriors received their first power play with 5:57 to play in the second and they’d finally break through. Atley Calvert set up in his regular position in front of the net and was rewarded, tipping a Denton Mateychuk shot from the high slot and making it a two-goal game.
That would be the last goal of the game until the final minutes of the third period, with Joe Arnsten potting an empty netter with 1:49 remaining to cap the contest.
WHL Goaltender of the Month Connor Ungar did what he could to keep his team in touch with the Hurricanes, turning aside 29 shots, including a pair of breakaways as Lethbridge tried to extend their lead. Moose Jaw product Bryan Thomson continued his solid play against his hometown team, turning aside 35 shots to take the win.
The Warriors are back in action on Friday night when they continue their Alberta road swing in Edmonton against the Oil Kings. Puck drop is 8 p.m. Moose Jaw time.
