The Moose Jaw Warriors are down to their last life in the Western Hockey League playoffs.
The Warriors got off to a great start but couldn’t hold off a second period rally by the Winnipeg Ice and surrendered the game-winning goal late in the third period of a 5-2 loss in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinal.
As a result, it’s do-or-die the rest of the series, beginning with Game 6 back in Moose Jaw on Monday night.
Things couldn’t have started better for the Warriors, as they had a handful of solid scoring chances in the opening five minutes before scoring the first goal of the game at the 6:25 mark.
Some hard work on the forecheck along the boards led to Max Wanner forcing a turnover, Brayden Yager picking up the loose puck and finding Jagger Firkus in the left face-off circle. The Seattle Kraken prospect would make no mistake with a shot low blocker side, and the Warriors would have a 1-0 lead.
Only 1:28 later, it was 2-0 Moose Jaw. Firkus forced Winnipeg defenceman Carson Lambos into a turnover and found Yager with a pass on the right face-off dot, leading to Yager putting a rifle of a shot top corner short side.
As well as things went for the Warriors in the opening 20 minutes, they were equally as tough in the second 20.
Connor Geekie got one back for Winnipeg with 2:27 gone in the second period, driving down the left wing and putting home a shot from the faceoff dot that snuck home short side.
Geekie then tied the game midway through the frame when a Ben Zloty shot from in close rang off the crossbar and right to the 2023 NHL Draft prospect for the quick shot into the open net.
There things stood until 4:54 remained in the third period, when Matthew Savoie gave Winnipeg the lead for the first time in the game. Zach Benson got a pass off the low boards to Savoie in the right face-off circle, and Savoie would spin and put a shot past Connor Ungar blocker side.
Geekie then finished off his hat trick with an empty net goal with 2:10 to play and Benson added another empty netter with 59 seconds remaining to close out scoring.
Ungar finished his night with 33 saves, while Hauser had 26 stops for Winnipeg.
The Warriors will now look to stay alive in Game 6 back at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Monday night. Game time is 7 p.m., and tickets are available at www.sasktix.ca or at the Events Centre box office.
