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Warriors pay price for slow start against Prince George

Cougars take 2-0 lead out of first period, go on to 3-2 win at Mosaic Place
When things are going the way they are for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League right now, sometimes the small victories can seem just as important as an actual win in the standings.

And for 16-year-old forward Eric Alarie on Friday night against the Prince George Cougars, it was as big a personal win as they come.

The Warriors rookie scored his first goal since Oct. 19, breaking a scoreless streak that had dogged him for nearly three months. And it wasn’t for a lack of trying: when it comes to snakebit players in the Tribe line-up, few had seen as much bad puck luck as Alarie has over that span of time.

“For sure, it’s been on my mind for a few games now and it feels good to finally get it,” said the Warriors’ first-round pick in the 2018 Bantam Draft. “It’s just getting the puck to the net, that’s how I got it and I’ll keep getting chances if I keep putting it on net.”

Alarie picked up a long outlet pass from Kyle Crosbie and went in on a breakaway with just over a minute remaining in the second period. Cougars goaltender Tyler Brennan would make the initial save, but the rebound popped straight back to Alarie and one quick move to his forehand later, he tucked a shot in behind Brennan for his fourth goal of the season.

Warriors PG AlarieMoose Jaw Warriors forward Eric Alarie battles Prince George’s Ryan Schoettler for position in front of Cougars goaltender Tyler Brennan.

Alarie – who has scored a minimum of 17 goals a season since his days as a first-year Bantam – admitted the lack of output was wearing on him a bit.

“I’m not used it, at most I’ve only gone a few games without scoring and it’s tough, but going this long without scoring goals is even tougher,” he said. “You just have to keep playing the way you can, they’ll come eventually.”

The Warriors had hoped to use a full week of practice to get off to a fast start against the Cougars, but it was Prince George who got things going right off the hop. Mitchell Kohner got the Cougars on the board 2:14 into the game and Cole Moberg made it 2-0 with a power play goal with 4:52 remaining.

“That was the conversation between the first and the second,” said Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary of the unexpected slow start. “The last few games we’ve started really well and just weren’t able to capitalize. Tonight, we spotted them two, but we weren’t skating. We eventually found our legs, but that first period really hurt.”

Captain Owen Hardy would get the Warriors on the board with a power play goal at the 8:19 mark of the second. He too had expected a better start and was left less than pleased with the early effort.

“We had a really good week of practice so it’s just disappointing to come out and lay an egg a little bit in the first period,” Hardy said. “It felt like we were going to come in here with a ton of energy and ready to go but something happened at the start and that killed us at the end… it’s all a mental thing, if you have a week off without playing any games, you have to play simple the first 10, 15 minutes, skate in straight lines, nothing fancy. We started playing our game in the second and third periods but just couldn’t find any goals.”

Craig Armstrong would score what stood as the game winner midway through the second before Alarie scored his schneid-breaker.

That would mark the end of the Tribe offence, though, as despite generating the lion’s share of chances through the third they were unable to find the tying marker.

Warriors PG Bilous saveWarriors goaltender Boston Bilous turns aside a shot through traffic during third period action.

“It’s really those small moments in the game that can be the difference,” O’Leary said. “Whether it’s power play goal or a shift or a whole period, I don’t know if it’s a focus things with a young group, but it’s something we need to get better at and string 60 minutes together.”

Boston Bilous got the start in goal for Moose Jaw and turned aside 31 shots, while Brennan made 28 saves for Prince George.

The Warriors fell to 11-26-2-0 with the loss and are now winless in their last five and have one win in their last 10. Moose Jaw sits two points ahead, seven points back of Regina and 21 points out of the second wildcard playoff spot.

The Warriors are back in action tonight when they host the red-hot Brandon Wheat Kings, winners of eight straight. Game time is 7 p.m. at Mosaic Place.

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