For two periods against the Yorkton Secon Maulers on Tuesday night, it looked as if the Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors were about to absorb another tough loss.
The Maulers had scored the lone goal in the first period and answered a pair of Moose Jaw strikes in the second with markers of their own to take a 3-2 lead into the final frame.
But a third-period power-play goal by Kanyan Unger tied the game with 10:56 to play, and Dylan Duzan made the most of the opportunity to play hero with the game-winning goal with 4:01 remaining as the Warriors rallied for a 4-3 victory in Sask Male AAA Hockey League action.
The Warriors moved within striking distance of .500 with the win, improving to 4-5-0-2 with their first victory in five outings and moving into a tie for seventh place in the 12-team league with the Warman Wildcats.
Luc Fortier scored the lone goal for Yorkton in the first before both teams went to work on the power play in the second frame.
Max Threinen scored for Moose Jaw to tie the game with 2:19 gone in the frame, Alex Morrison replied for Yorkton three minutes later. Jake Britlz tied the game again with 6:51 to play; Shaden Duliak gave the Maulers their one-goal edge heading into the third with 4:27 left on the clock. All four goals were scored with the man advantage.
Unger’s tying goal was his first in a Winmar Warriors uniform, while Liam Fitzpatrick drew an assist on Duzan’s winner and now has five goals and 18 points in 11 games this season, good enough for fifth-best in the league and a single point back of leaders Matthew Van Blaricom (Tisdale, 12-7-19), Cole Reschny (Blazers, 10-9-19), Raiden Zacharias (Blazers, 9-10-19) and Josh Knittig (Blazers, 5-14-19).
The Warriors’ Connor Miler is eighth in scoring with six goals and 17 points.
Ryan Hicks turned in a solid showing in goal, making 38 saves to earn the win. The Warriors fired 28 shots at Yorkton’s Wyatt Bouvier.
The Winmar Warriors are back in action with a pair of games at the Moose Jaw Events Centre this weekend, as they host the Saskatoon Contacts on Saturday and Warman Wildcats on Sunday. Puck drop for both games is 1:30 p.m.
