Power play precision proves prime as Warriors edge Pats

The Moose Jaw Warriors have found themselves in their share of tight-checking games this season, but Wednesday night’s Western Hockey League contest against the Regina Pats was something else altogether.

The two teams combined for a total of 42 shots, with neither team hitting double digits in a period, as the Warriors battled to a 2-1 victory at the Brandt Centre in Regina.

The game was originally slated to be played this past Sunday, but was rescheduled due to the winter storm that hit southern Saskatchewan.

Things were as back-and-forth as could be throughout the game, with neither club creating a lengthy run of zone time unless they were on the power play.

And as it turns out, all three of the game’s goals would be scored on the man advantage, as Moose Jaw finished 2-for-3 and Regina 1-for-3.

The Warriors opened scoring 6:23 into the game, finishing off a slick passing play on the first power play of the contest. Eric Alarie outdueled a Pats defender in the corner and hit Atley Calvert with a pass into the slot, with the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product firing a quick pass to Jagger Firkus at the left side of the net. A perfect shot upstairs glove side on Drew Sim, and the Warriors had a 1-0 lead.

Firkus prominently into the second goal as well. The Seattle Kraken prospect held the puck in at the blueline while the Warriors worked their second power play, made his way to the right face-off circle and found Brayden Yager with a cross-ice pass. Yager would make no mistake with a shot evading Sim just under his blocker with 8:05 to play in the period.

Regina took advantage of a power play of their own to score their first with 4:46 remaining in the second frame. The Warriors had a couple opportunities to clear the zone, but Stanislav Svozil blocked the last of them, broke into the Moose Jaw zone and hit Alexander Suzdalev for the backdoor one timer to make it 2-1.

And as it turns out, that would mark the end of scoring in the contest -- but not for a lack of opportunities in the third period. The Pats had the best chance of all with a power play late in the third, and nearly scored when Connor Bedard hit Suzdalev with a backdoor pass that Connor Ungar had to make a diving pad save on.

Ungar was his usual steady self throughout the night and finished with 19 saves, while the Warriors fired 22 shots total at Sim.

The win was the third straight for Moose Jaw and saw the local crew improved to 7-4-0-0 while moving into sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference, four points back of Saskatoon and one up on Regina. The Pats fell to 6-6-0-1.

The Warriors are back in action on Friday night when they host the Everett Silvertips for the first time since the 2019 season. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.