Thing is, for two periods, it looked as if for all their pressure and zone time, the result might end up the same as their tough loss at home two nights earlier.
Instead, the Warriors were able to break a 1-1 draw with three third-period goals -- including a pair 36 seconds apart midway through the frame -- to take a 4-1 victory in Prince Albert.
The win saw the Warriors improve to 3-2-0-0 on the season while the Raiders dropped to 1-5-0-0.
Moose Jaw looked to get on the board early after a run of sustained pressure in the Raiders zone led to their first power play of the game, but it would be Prince Albert’s Ozzy Weisblatt who’d strike first.
The San Jose Sharks first-rounder took advantage of a funny bounce to outrace Daemon Hunt for the loose puck and slip home a wraparound 4:12 into the game.
There the score remained until 7:37 of the second period, when Martin Rysavy finished off a nifty passing play with Ryder Korczak to lift a shot over Raiders netminder Carter Serhyenko. The goal was the Czech forward’s first of his WHL career.
The two teams went into the third period tied 1-1, but after an early Raiders power play, the Warriors once again started to pour on the pressure -- and this time, were finally rewarded.
Rysavy’s harmless-looking shot to the front of the net got caught up in Serhyenko’s pads, and Brayden Yager would find the loose puck to knock it home. It was the first goal for Yager since his opening night hat trick.
That broke the dam, as Korczak took a perfect feed from Robert Baco and lifted a shot high glove side just over two minutes later, and 38 seconds after that marker, Denton Mateychulk outraced a Raiders defender for a loose puck and put a shot high blocker side to make it 4-1.
The Warriors put on the clamps from there and continued to keep Prince Albert from generating any sustained run of chances on their way to the win.
Moose Jaw starter Carl Tetachuk had a relatively calm night after the opening goal, facing a total of 14 shots on the night. The Warriors had 33 shots on Serhyenko.
If there’s one area the team will be looking to see a better showing in, it’s their power play -- the Warriors were 0-for 6 on the night and were able to generate only a handful of chances with the man advantage. On the other side of the coin, Moose Jaw’s penalty kill was spot on, holding off all five Raider attempts.
Korczak and Yager also had assists in the contest.
The Warriors are right back in action Saturday night when they host the Saskatoon Blades. Game time is 7 p.m. at Mosaic Place and fans are asked to have proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from the past 72 hours to gain entry into the arena.
