The Moose Jaw Warriors were unable to convert on their power play chances.
The Swift Current Broncos did.
And that was the difference on the scoresheet in a 4-2 victory for the Broncos in Western Hockey League East Division Hub action on Sunday afternoon.
Cole Nagy scored twice in the third period, including the game winner on the power play with 11:29 gone, as Swift Current picked up their second win over the Warriors on the season.
All told, the Broncos finished 2-for-4 on the power play while the Warriors couldn’t score any of their three attempts -- including their final one with 4:32 remaining in the game.
It was another tough loss for head coach Mark O’Leary’s troops, and another game where a slow start and lack of overall cohesive effort made the difference.
“I think for half the game, we just stood around and watched,” O’Leary said. “We were late to the game tonight and we showed a little bit of pushback and a little bit of urgency later in the game, but you don’t deserve to win a game if you watch for the first half.”
Not seeing the kind of consistency needed to win games from his older players hasn’t sat well with O’Leary, either -- especially through their season-ending stretch that seems the Warriors holding a 2-7-1 record in their last 10 games.
“I think our young players have shown they’re a big part of our offence right now, so I’ll never get upset about their consistency. They’re still learning,” O’Leary said. “That’s where you need leadership, where you need your older guys to step up, where the consistency will comes from. The effort and compete have to be there every night as an older guy, and we didn’t have enough guys ready to go.”
Seeing that happen -- and the end result of another week with more losses than wins -- was disappointing.
“Absolutely,” O’Leary said when asked as such. “ You’re playing hockey and coaching hockey because you want to win, you’re trying to win every time you come here and when you’re losing more than you win, it’s not fun. It wasn’t fun last year and it’s not fun now.
We expected more from some players, I think, they’ve had lots of opportunities and haven’t performed to where I think they’re capable off.”
Raphael Pelletier opened scoring for Swift Current with 4:30 left in the first period, with his power play marker coming off a scramble in front of the net.
The Broncos would take the lead into the second period, but it wouldn’t last long, as Riley Krane would finish off a rush off a neutral zone turnover only 1:17 in.
Swift Current would regain the lead five minutes later when Nagy found himself facing four Warriors down low, but would spin and put a shot on net that would evade Mirwald low blocker side.
The Warriors tied things again three minutes after that marker, with Cole Jordan’s shot from the point finding its way through a screen in front and past Isaac Poulter.
Nagy would then add his second of the game on the power play with 11:29 gone in the third.
Mirwald made 28 saves in taking the loss, Poulter had 26 saves for the Broncos.
The Warriors fell to 8-13-2-0 with the loss and remain in sixth place in the East Divison. They close out their 24-game campaign on Monday when they face the Saskatoon Blades (8 p.m.).
