If it wasn’t for bad luck, the Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors wouldn’t have any luck at all as of the late.
From their Circle K Classic qualifying hopes to recent results in the Sask Male AAA Hockey League, little seems to be going Moose Jaw’s way at this point, with their most recent result offering a good example.
The Warriors played the Regina Pat Canadians to a 1-1 tie in the first period on Saturday afternoon in Regina but surrendered five goals in the second and would go on to a 6-3 loss at the Co-Operator’s Arena.
The loss dropped the Warriors to 10-7-0-0 on the season, good enough for sixth place in the SMAAAHL standings, two points back of Regina and Estevan for second and five behind first place Prince Albert.
It was those very same Mintos that likely brought the Warriors’ Circle K Classic hopes to an end last weekend.
The Warriors had dropped an 8-3 decision to the Notre Dame Hounds back on Sat, Nov. 11 but still sat a handful of percentage points in win percentage ahead of the Mintos for the fourth and final automatic spot in the ultra-elite 18U AAA tournament.
They needed a Mintos loss to Swift Current that Sunday afternoon to hold down fourth heading into the qualifying date on Monday, Nov. 13 -- and at points in that game, the Warriors looked like they were going to get the result they needed.
But the Mintos scored the tying goal midway through the third period and then scored in overtime to earn the win outright, moving seven percentage points clear of the Warriors for fourth place at the time.
Being so close to the cutoff might land the Warriors a spot as the fifth team from the SMAAAHL -- as was the case one season back when they were the Moose Jaw Generals -- but that opportunity remains highly unlikely.
On Saturday, things were close early, as the Warriors’ Bryce Boughen and Regina’s Dayce Derkatch exchanged goals 1:18 apart late in the period to send the teams into the dressing room tied 1-1.
Steven Steranka and Ellis Mieyette each scored in the first three minutes of the third to make it a 3-1 Regina lead, but Keaton Lesperance got one back a 4:50 make it a one-goal game.
Moose Jaw’s Cooper Buhay and Mieyette exchanged goals midway through the period, but Regina would get markers from Isaac Poll and Cash Lanigan in the final 6:43 of the frame to take their 6-3 lead.
Neither team scored in the third period and Regina went on to their three-goal win.
Ryan Bain got the start and turned aside 26 shots in taking the loss while Taylor Tabashniuk had 33 saves in the win.
The WINMAR Warriors are now off until Friday, Nov. 24 when they open a busy stretch of games on the road. The Warriors are in Prince Albert that night and Saturday afternoon followed by a visit to the Saskatoon Blazers on Tuesday, Nov. 28.
Next home action is Saturday, Dec. 2 when the Estevan Bears are in town. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
