Their most recent outing might not have turned out like they were hoping, but it’s quickly evolving into a solid season for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Sask U15 AA Hockey League.
The Warriors dropped a 7-3 decision to the South Division-leading Swift Current Broncos in their game on Monday, Nov. 21, but that loss was only the second for the local crew in their last six outings, including a 4-1 win over the Yorkton Terriers on Friday, Nov. 18 and 4-2 win over the Estevan Bruins on Saturday, Nov, 19.
The winning run has seen the Warriors move up the standings, with their 5-8-0-0 record good enough for fifth place in the 10-team division, two points behind the Regina Aces for fourth and three points back of the Regina Pat Blues for third.
Swift Current 7, Warriors 3
The Warriors didn’t get off to the greatest of starts in their most recent outing at the Red Knight Arena, trailing 4-1 after the first period and 6-3 through two.
Ryan Gibbs scored only 30 seconds into the game to give the Warriors the quick lead, but the Broncos responded with four straight goals from the seven-minute mark on to take control of the game.
Gibbs scored twice in the second period to finish off his hat trick and now has 18 goals and 28 points on the season, good enough for seventh in the league scoring standings. Carson Deichert had assists on two of Gibbs’ markers and now has 13 goals and 29 points to six sixth overall. Both have played 13 games.
Suliman Suliman also had a pair of helpers for Moose Jaw.
Chase Peterson scored four goals for Swift Current.
Jayce Finiak turned aside 39 shots in the loss, Cole Fox had 27 saves to earn the win.
Warriors 4, Estevan 2
Moose Jaw scored a pair of goals in the first and third periods to secure their most recent win.
Deichert finished with two goals and an assist to lead the Warriors offence, while Soren Hayden scored their other first-period goal and Gibbs added a short-handed empty netter with six seconds to play.
Grayson Hrenyk had 32 saves in the victory, the Warriors had 37 shots on Estevan.
Warriors 4, Yorkton 1
Deichert and Gibbs each had two goals and an assist as the Warriors opened their two-game set with a win.
Deichert got things started for Moose Jaw 3:35 into the game and followed up with a power play marker 2:07 later to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead out of the first period.
Gibbs scored the lone goal of the second period, and after Yorkton snapped Finiak’s shutout 4:27 into the third, picked up his second marker of the game with 7:48 to play.
Finiak ended up stopping 24 shots in the win, while the Warriors had 27 at the other end of the ice.
Moose Jaw returns to the ice on Tuesday, Nov. 29 when they host the Weyburn Wings. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Bert Hunt Arena.
