The season has come to an end for the Moose Jaw AAA Warriors.
The Warriors dropped a 5-3 decision to the Regina Pat Canadians in Game 3 of their Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League first-round series on Thursday night, falling three-games-to-none in the best-of-five showdown.
The Warriors had hoped to get an early lead and play from ahead for the first time in the series, and while that didn’t happen, they were able to respond quickly when Regina got on the board.
Only 1:30 after WHL Warriors prospect Ben Riche scored to give Regina a 1-0 lead six minutes into the game, Orin Olson responded for Moose Jaw, and the two teams would go into the first intermission tied 1-1.
There were far more fireworks in the second period.
After Regina’s Brayden Barnett and Moose Jaw’s Brennan Brown scored in the frame’s first four minutes, Barnett and Noel Englot added power-play markers to put the Pat Cs ahead 4-2 with 5:28 to play.
Cooper Buhay got one back for the Warriors with 3:13 remaining in the second, but that would turn out to be Moose Jaw’s final goal of the season.
Casey Brown scored an insurance marker for Regina with 4:44 to play in the game.
Daxin Peterson picked up two assists for Moose Jaw.
Ethan Fechter went the distance in goal and turned aside 21 shots, Kelton Pyne had 18 saves for Regina.
The Saskatoon Blazers also swept their quarter-final series on Thursday, taking a 3-1 win over the Saskatoon Contacts. The regular-season champion Notre Dame Hounds lead their series with the Battlefords 2-1 while the Warman Wildcats and Prince Albert Mintos are tied at a game apiece.
