The Moose Jaw Warriors were left wondering what could have been after giving up three early goals to the Winnipeg Ice in Game 1 of the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Warriors would eventually battle back to tie the game in the second period, but would surrender a pair of third-period goals to drop a 5-3 decision.
On Saturday night at the Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg, the shoe was decidedly on the other foot.
The Warriors scored four goals in the opening 10 minutes -- three of those on the power play -- and would hold off a furious comeback attempt by the Ice in the third period to take a 5-3 victory and even the series at a game apiece.
Game 1 saw Winnipeg score inside of two minutes of puck drop, but on Saturday night, it was Moose Jaw’s turn.
Ryder Korczak broke in on a two-on-one with Atley Calvert, with the latter getting off a shot in tight that Ice goaltender Daniel Hauser got a piece of with his pad, only for the puck to sit loose in the crease. Korczak was johnny on the spot to push the puck in, and the Warriors had a 1-0 lead only 1:02 into the proceedings.
A nasty high hit on Warriors defenceman Matthew Gallant led to a five-minute major for Ice forward Evan Friesen, and Moose Jaw would put down one of the best power play performances of the season to take complete control of the game before things were even 10 minutes old.
Brayden Yager got things going 21 seconds into the power play, being credited with the goal after a shot popped up and over Hauser and into the net. He then added his second of the game 1:04 later shortly after Zach Benson took a high sticking penalty to create a two-man advantage. Martin Rysavy then made it 4-0 only 20 seconds after Yager’s second goal, and the Warriors were off and running.
Neither team would score in the second period, but it wasn’t for a lack of chances. In fact, things turned into end-to-end action for a few minutes midway through the frame, with both Connor Ungar and Mason Beaupit making huge saves to keep things 4-0.
Winnipeg broke through on the power play early in the third, with Zack Ostapchuk snapping Ungar’s shutout bid at the 1:07 mark.
Connor McClennon then made it a two-goal game with 6:51 to play in the contest, breaking down the wing around a defender and tucking in a wraparound.
The Ice then closed to within a goal with 3:50 to play in regulation, this time with Carson Latimer putting a shot from the high slot through traffic and into the low left corner.
Winnipeg pulled Beaupit for the extra attacker with 1:30 remaining and would have a couple of good looks at the tying goal, but Josh Hoekstra would score with two seconds remaining and the Warriors would have their win.
In the end, Moose Jaw’s penalty kill would finish with a heroic performance, as Winnipeg would finish the game 1-for-9 on the power play. The Warriors were 3-for-5 with the man advantage.
Ungar capped his night with 33 saves, including 15 in the third period alone when the Warriors were outshot 18-2. Hauser had seven stops in the opening frame, Beaupit turned aside all eight shots he faced the rest of the way.
The series now reverts to Moose Jaw for Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Tuesday night. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
