Maybe it’s the hockey gods smiling their way after putting them through some tough times, maybe it’s their proximity to the final playoff spot in the standings, maybe it’s just figuring out how to win.
But the Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors find themselves on a bit of a roll at the moment in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League.
The Warriors opened the week on Monday with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Regina Pat Canadians before battling to a 4-2 win over the Yorkton Maulers at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Wednesday night.
The winning run has proven crucial for the local squad, as they’ve improved to 14-15-0-4 and sit in the eighth and final playoff spot, two points back of Prince Albert for seventh and now five points up on Yorkton for eighth.
The Warriors looked to have things in control heading into the third period on Monday against the Pat Canadians, thanks to a first-period goal from Connor Miller and two markers in the second from Liam Fitzpatrick for a 3-1 lead.
Regina has floated around the top of the standings all season for a reason, though, and they’d rally with goals from Steven Steranka and Isaac Poll to tie the game midway through the third.
That set the stage for overtime, where Fitzpatrick finished off his hat trick and picked up his fourth point of the night, scoring the game-winner with 2:26 remaining.
Jaxon Skiftun scored Regina’s other goal.
Ryan Bain turned aside 20 shots to earn the win, John Macpherson had 18 saves for Regina.
The shoe was on the other foot on Wednesday night, as Dylan Duzan scored twice in the third period to give the Warriors their two-goal win.
Neither team scored in the opening 20 minutes before Miller and Rhett Perrin gave Moose Jaw a 2-1 lead out of the second period.
Fitzpatrick picked up another two assists, extending his point-scoring streak to nine games and racking up a Connor Bedard-esque 10 goals and 20 points in that span. As one might imagine, that’s led to a quick climb up the league stats, with Fitzpatrick now the SMAAAHL scoring leader with 23 goals and 51 points in 33 games this season.
Jeffery Stewart and Shaden Duliak scored for Yorkton.
Bain had a busier night but still turned aside 39 shots for the win, Blake Sittler stopped 37 shots for the Maulers.
The Winmar Warriors are back in action on Wednesday, Jan, 25 when the host the Swift Current Legionnaires. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
