The Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors have put themselves back on the winning track, and they did it in style, too.
The Warriors scored three unanswered goals in the third period to take a 5-2 victory over the Swift Current Legionnaires in Swift Current on Thursday night.
The win snapped a two-game skid and saw Moose Jaw once again close in on returning to .500 in the Sask Male AAA Hockey League standings, as they improved to 8-10-0-0 to take sole possession of sixth place in the 12-team league. The Warriors lead the Yorkton Maulers by two points and sit four points back of the Prince Albert Mintos.
Things were exceptionally close in the early going against the Legionnaires, as Moose Jaw’s Grady Hoffman opened scoring 30 seconds into the game before Swift Current’s Rylan Williams tied things up midway through the period.
The Warriors retook the lead with another early goal in the second, this time with Wyatt LaCoste doing the honours 1:06 into the proceedings. And as was the case in the opening frame, the Legionnaires tied things up with just over eight minutes to play, this time with Theodore McGuire getting the job done.
That set the stage for one of the best third periods for the Warriors this season, and once again, they got things going early. Hoffman scored his second of the game 22 seconds in, Liam Fitzpatrick made it a two-goal game with 7:15 to play and then capped things off with an empty netter with five seconds remaining to give Moose Jaw their win.
Hoffman added an assist to his two goals and was the Warriors’ game star, while Fitzpatrick also had a pair of helpers for a four-point night. Connor Miller added three assists, Austin Woodley picked up a pair of assists.
The offensive output saw both Fitzpatrick and Miller vault up the SMAAAHL scoring ranks and move into a tie for sixth in league scoring -- Fitzpatrick with 12 goals and 29 points, Miller with nine goals and 29 points.
Ryan Bain turned in a solid showing in goal with 30 saves to earn the win, while the Warriors had 29 shots on Swift Current’s Berney Weston.
The Warriors are back in action for a pair of games at the Moose Jaw Events Centre this weekend, as they take on the Regina Pat Canadians on Saturday at 7 p.m. before hosting the Notre Dame Hounds at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
