The Moose Jaw Warriors couldn’t have asked for a better start to their Saskatchewan AA Hockey League U13 AA season.
Quite literally.
The Warriors scored six first-period goals and would go on to a 9-7 victory over the Lumsden Lions in their home opener at Bert Hunt Arena on Thursday night.
Moose Jaw scored twice shorthanded and twice on the power play in the opening frame and held on through the final two periods as Lumsden mounted a comeback before falling short.
Most of the damage in the first came in a four-minute span late in the period, as Trey Stanhope scored twice to go along with single markers from Jackson Boyle and Dillon Flanagan to give the Warriors their six-goal edge. Kaiden Gadd and Rylan Deichert also scored in the opening 20 minutes.
Lumsden scored twice 25 seconds apart early in the second and outscored Moose Jaw 3-2 in the period before scoring three power-play goals in the third as they attempted to complete their comeback.
Stanhope finished the game with two goals and an assist, while Deichert and Caiden Arnott also had a pair of markers each. Flanagan added a pair of assists to his first-period goal.
Eli Tkachuk turned aside 32 shots in goal for Moose Jaw while the Warriors fired 35 at Lumsden.
Moose Jaw was 3-for-7 on the power play, Lumsden 3-for-8.
The Warriors will now have a week off before returning to the ice on Friday, Oct. 14 when they travel to Estevan to face the Bruins. Next home action is Sunday, Oct. 23 when they host Swift Current. Game time is 1:15 p.m. at the Barkman Arena in Caronport.
