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Warriors score pair late in the third to win season opener in Regina

Moose Jaw battle back to tie game three times before Riche scores winner with just over seven minutes remaining in contest
Warriors Calvert rush
Atley Calvert leads the rush up ice for the Warriors against Regina on Friday night.

The Moose Jaw Warriors knew they were going to have to rely on their youngsters for success in the early part of the Western Hockey League season, and things couldn’t have worked out better in that direction on opening night.

The Warriors had a pair of goals from rookie Ben Riche -- including the game-winner with 7:10 to go in the third -- as they took a 5-4 victory over the Regina Pats in Regina on Friday evening.

Regina took close to eight minutes to get their first shot on net, but once they had that opening opportunity, it was almost continuous pressure in the Moose Jaw end through the remainder of the first period.

And much like overager goaltender Carl Tetachuk last season, Warriors 20-year-old netminder Connor Ungar was up to the task. Regina would fire 14 shots at the Warriors net over the final 12 minutes of the period, including a flurry of chances on the power play in the final two minutes, but Ungar was able to bar the door and keep things scoreless.

The Warriors didn’t take long to take advantage of an opening in the second period.
Atley Calvert picked up a turnover by Connor Bedard and went in on a two-on-one along the wing, toe-dragged into the slot and roofed a shot glove high on Koen MacInnes 27 seconds into the period.

Regina got that one back right away, though, as 21 seconds later Cole Dubinsky took a harmless-looking spinning shot deep in the Warriors’ zone and had it sneak upstairs past Ungar.

The shoe was on the other foot midway through the second.

The Pats took their first lead with 12:20 to play in the frame when Layton Feist’s shot from the point redirected off Tye Spencer and into the Warriors goal. Not 37 seconds later, Josh Hoekstra finished off a three-on-two with Harper Lolacher and Thomas Tien with a bit of slick stickhandling before slipping a shot past MacInnes far side, tying the game 2-2.

Spencer gave the Pats the lead back with a power play goal with just over seven minutes remaining in the second. Parker Berghe beat his defender wide and got a pass across the front of the Warriors net, with Spencer in the right place at the right time to deflect it past Ungar.

Moose Jaw’s power play struck for the first time this season with 1:05 to play in the frame, and it was Riche who did the honours. The former Pat Canadians standout scored his first WHL goal after taking a feed from Calvert and breaking in unchecked before roofing a shot blocker side.

The Warriors had a perfect opportunity to take the lead midway through the third when the Pats took a pair of penalties on the same play, but Regina’s penalty kill would come through. And immediately after the penalty expired, Tanner Howe and Borya Valis came out of the penalty box to create a two-on-one, leading to Valis scoring the go-ahead goal.

True to form on the night, the lead didn’t last a minute.

It was Lynden Lakovic’s turn to score his first in the WHL, and it was a similar goal to Calvert, only on the opposite side of the ice -- a drive down the wing, toe-drag into the slot and quick shot upstairs to tie the game 4-4.

A little over two minutes later, Riche scored his second of the game to give the Warriors the lead, taking a perfect feed from Tate Schofer into the slot and beating MacInnes with a shot glove side under the bar.

Regina had a power play late in the third but couldn’t capitalize, and the Warriors had the win on opening night in the WHL

Ungar was a solid throughout the contest and finished with 35 saves, while the Warriors fired 20 shots at MacInnes.

Lucas Brenton and Thomas Tien each finished with two assists for the Warriors.,

The two teams are right back at it on Saturday night as the Warriors host Regina in their home opener at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.

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