Now that’s more like it.
After opening their best-of-five Sask Male AAA Hockey League quarter-final series with a tough 6-1 loss to the Saskatoon Contacts in Game 1 last week, the Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors were a far better team on Tuesday night.
Now they’ll have a chance to clinch a spot in the semifinal on Thursday night at the Moose Jaw Events Centre, thanks to a 4-2 victory over the Contacts in Game 3 in Saskatoon.
The Warriors had battled back into the series with a 6-3 victory on home ice in Game 2 Sunday.
It initially looked like it was going to be another long night for the Warriors in Game 3, as Rylan Hue and Zach Moore scored in the first 10 minutes to give Saskatoon a quick 2-0 lead. That would be the last bit of good news for the home squad, though, and things started to turn the Warriors’ way before the first period was out.
Wyatt LaCoste pulled Moose Jaw within one with 3:24 remaining and Dylan Duzan would tie the game 59 seconds later, sending the clubs into the dressing room tied 2-2.
That set the stage for SMAAAHL scoring champion Liam Fitzpatrick, as the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product would score the eventual game-winner with 7:53 remaining in the second period.
Grady Hoffman added an insurance marker with 4:06 gone in the third, and the Warriors had their huge victory in Game 2. Connor Miller picked up a pair of assists in the win.
Ryan Bain turned in a solid performance in goal to earn the victory, turning aside 31 shots. The Warriors had 36 shots on Saskatoon’s Logan Edmonstone.
The Warriors will now look to finish the series off when the host the Contacts at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Thursday night. Game time is 7 p.m.
Other series see the Saskatoon Blazers (1) up 2-0 on the Notre Dame Houndfs (8), the Regina Pat Canadians (2) sweeping the Prince Albert Mintos (7) and the Swift Current Legionnaires (4) leading the Warman Wildcats (5) two-games-to-one.
