The Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors went into their two-game Sask Male AAA Hockey League set with the Saskatoon Blazers this past weekend knowing they were going to be in for a couple of tough outings.
That’s generally the case when you’re facing a team that’s lost only four times at this point of the season.
But the Warriors would give Saskatoon all they could handle before eventually dropping a 6-5 shootout decision on Saturday and falling 3-2 in the rematch Sunday.
As a result, the Warriors are now 14-12-2 on the campaign, good enough for seventh place in the 12-team league, four points out of fourth.
Saskatoon 6, Warriors 5
Moose Jaw gave the Blazers all they could handle in the first game of the weekend, scoring four goals in the second period to take a 4-3 lead and then scoring late in the third to force the shootout.
Jake Briltz, Carson Deichert, Dylan Duzan and Jonah Pinel all scored for the Warriors in the second period, as Moose Jaw led 2-0 and 3-1 early in the frame before the Blazers battled back to tie things at the 3:31 mark.
Pinel’s power-play marker with 1:19 to go in the second gave the Warriors the lead heading into the third, but it wouldn’t stick, as Cohen Harris and Jake Missura scored midway through the period to make it 6-5 Saskatoon.
That set the stage for Noah Thul’s late-game heroics, as he scored on the power play with 3:54 remaining in regulation to send things to extra time.
The shootout saw Saskatoon score on both of their shots and the Blazers get a pair of saves, giving the Blazers the 6-5 win.
Raiden Zacharias, Will Degagne and Dane Buecker had the Blazers’ other goals.
Ryan Bain had 29 saves in the Warriors net, Madex Kabrud stopped 37 for Saskatoon.
Saskatoon 3, Warriors 2
The second period was the difference in the rematch, as Degagne, Bueker and Greg Rivard provided all the offence they would need to find the victory.
Duzan scored for the Warriors to make it a 3-1 game heading into the final frame and Caleb Potter had the lone goal of the third, but that’s as close as Moose Jaw would get.
Duzan now has 17 goals and 35 points on the season to sit fifth in league scoring, three points out of third. Bueker is the league’s leading scorer with 22 goals and 52 points.
Luke McKechnie had 25 saves in the loss, Kabrud stopped 32.
The WINMAR Warriors faced the Regina Pat Canadians in another tough match-up on Tuesday, with the score unavailable from that game.
Next action for Moose Jaw is Saturday, Jan. 13 when the Yorkton Maulers are in town. Game time is 1:30 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
